


Miles from Home

by Macx



Series: The Maelstrom Crossovers [4]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Crossover, Hurt/Comfort, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-05
Updated: 2011-06-05
Packaged: 2017-10-20 03:58:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/208503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macx/pseuds/Macx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Primus!" Rodimus exclaimed and stared at the two combatants.<br/>It looked like a battle between Good and Evil. Lancer was a white and sparkling cloud of energy and Midnight a pool of absolute blackness. His body was barely distinguishable, though it seemed to be an even blacker black than the aura. Lancer was fanged out completely, firing her energy lances at the aura and at the very center.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Miles from Home

  
The attack came out of the blue and it was as quick as it was vicious. The Tji strike force fell over the unexpecting team like a swarm of deadly flies, blasting whatever they could. Megatron returned the heavy fire, but he knew they had no chance. None of them had any back-up and the Tji, with their shell bodies able to take more than any other robot, advanced steadily. One of the attackers came too close and Megatron felt the hot burn of the blast, scorching his shoulder and taking off the first layer of skin. He gave a hiss of anger and fired volley after volley at the advancing Tji, whose shell body soon looked like a crater field.   
Something exploded close by.   
Megatron was thrown aside, connecting had with an unyielding object.   
He looked around and discovered one of the many energy towers burning brightly and slowly toppling over. The second the tower hit the ground, a chain reaction set in. The energon vein beneath the planet's surface broke free, the burning tower ignited it and a giant explosion ripped open the ground. More explosions followed.   
Megatron quickly got to his feet and started to run. He knew he had to get out of here. Out of the corners of his optics he saw Sphere, running away as well.   
But it was too late.   
A mushroom cloud of energon blew into the sky, the shockwave hitting them.   
Everything blurred.   
The world ceased to exist.

* * *

For D'rlanzinhj the attack had gone well until one of his troops had set off the explosion. The plan had been so perfect: lure one of the Cybertronian commanders into their trap, preferably alone or with another high-ranking Cybertronian, and then hit them with everything they had. After the crippling blow to Charr, the Cybertronians were vulnerable and confused, or at least so the Tji had thought. But the Decepticon leader had proven to be quite a problem for the strike force and the ensuing battle had not only taken out three Tji body shells, but also half the mining field on the planet. The shockwave had hit D'rlanzinhj as well and ripped him through space and dimensions, destroying his body shell, which had suffered a lot through the fighting.   
Now the Tji was adrift on a planet he knew well, but which was not the planet he was used to.   
Dimension jump, he thought, intrigued. D'rlanzinhj was a scientist and not a warrior, but he had changed throughout the millennia, learned how to fight. Now his scientific mind woke again and he took in everything around him. It was clear that he had jumped through dimensions. The energy patterns around him were completely wrong.   
But in many ways this meant something incredibly good.   
An innocent dimension.   
Body shells!   
D'rlanzinhj chuckled. All he had to do was find a suitable shell to house him. After he had some reasonable protection and disguise he would try and get back to his own dimension and lead his kind here. Ath'antheia would reward him!   
The cloud-like body of the energy creature drifted over the planet, searching. It was disguised by the fact that it read only as energon, not as a real living being.

* * *

For Sphere, the world ceased to exist for three agonizing seconds, then she could see again. In the passing seconds she felt something in her body change profoundly and after she had all her senses back, she knew what had happened.   
She had turned organic.   
Sphere blinked, feeling instincts and feelings rise she had never felt before, her animal side battling against her civilized one. She looked around and discovered she was on the surface of a planet she knew very well: Cybertron. But then again, it wasn't Cybertron. This was different. Her Key program had been turned into an instinct and she simply felt that this wasn't her home. And she was missing Ralyk.   
She saw someone lying beside her, a human. Someone she had seen before, she realized, even though it had been only for a short time, between transformations. But she had seen him.   
Megatron.   
And human.   
"Gods," she muttered.   
Sphere was just about to check on him when she became aware of two approaching vehicles. She whirled around, her wings spreading out beside her in a protective manner and she felt a growl rise in her throat. The two vehicles stopped and the Cybertronians transformed.   
Sphere hissed.

Optimus had never seen the strange, organic creature before, but something told him he should be careful. The creature was four-legged and had the rough build of a horse. But it was also a lot different from a horse. The body was covered with small, bluish white scales, the chest massive, the back heavily muscled. A star-shaped tattoo was on the forehead, reflecting the light in dark blue colors. Two bat-like wings were connected to her shoulders and instead of hooves there were clawed feet. A silvery mane and a long, equally silvery tail completed the picture. The winged creature, which was larger than a horse, was snarling at them, wings spread out, mane bristling. Jazz had transformed as well and stared at the stranger with puzzlement. Then Optimus saw the human. He was apparently unconscious.   
"Who are you?" Optimus asked, hazarding a guess that the winged creature might be able to understand him.   
"You don't know me," it answered, the voice female and laced with hissing growls. "But your partner does. Where is Rodimus Prime?"   
Optimus stared at her. "You know him?" he wanted to know, his voice even.   
"Not as well as my friends, but he knows me. And he knows my companion." Sphere nodded at the unconscious man.   
Optimus knew he had to make a decision, and he did. He called Rodimus to meet him right away and then First Aid to inform him that they were coming in with a patient.   
Sphere seemed to relax ever so slightly, but when Optimus wanted to touch the unconscious man, her mane bristled again.   
"I won't hurt him," he told her calmly.   
Her deep green eyes flickered with a strange emotion, then she stepped aside, nodding. Optimus carefully lifted the small body and then transformed, driving back, followed by Jazz. Sphere beat her wings and lifted her apparently light body up into the air.

* * *

"They are gone?" Rodimus asked tonelessly.   
Goldbug and Jazz exchanged a quick look. Neither of them knew what else to say than the facts they had stated. Both had searched the mining field for hours without finding more than a few dead shells and the remains of the mine. The whole energon deposit had blown.   
Jazz simply nodded again and Rodimus' optics darkened briefly. Both Autobots left quietly, but someone else entered. When Rodimus looked up he discovered Starscream. The former Decepticon looked a bit grey, but all in all well-composed for someone known to have screaming fits and temper out-breaks over minor things.   
"They aren't dead," Starscream now stated with an almost monotonous voice.   
Rodimus stared at him. "How do you want to know?"   
Starscream smiled faintly. "Sphere is my sister, Rodimus. We are linked by Ralyk and the link didn't break. It just feels strained.... And Ralyk would have reacted to her death, as well as Megatron's. You know the Council is connected to Ralyk."   
The young commander scrutinized the other robot. "Are you sure?"   
"Yes."   
"Then where are they?"   
"Ralyk is working on it," was all Starscream said.   
Rodimus hissed softly. "Damn! It was a trap and we didn't see it!"   
Starscream smiled. "Of course it was. The Tji are trying to tear us apart after the crippling blow against Charr. They thought we would scatter like frightened children, but we didn't. Now they want to take the Council apart, devastate us."   
Rodimus' face was like a dark thundercloud. "They won't succeed."   
Both looked at each other and both saw something reflected in the other's optics, then Starscream nodded.   
"Ralyk will inform us when it knows where they are," he said and left the office again.   
Rodimus slumped into his chair and rubbed his optics. He felt Shanygn's calming presence in his mind, her silent support and her feverish belief that Sphere and Megatron were still alive. He smiled and gently embraced her, thankful for her presence.

* * *

Lancer shook her head as she watched the medics wheel in the unconscious visitor and then turned to Sphere.   
"What is it with our dimensions?" she asked.   
Sphere smiled a bit. "Mutual attraction?"   
Lancer grinned a bit and turned back to the view screen. Optimus Prime was present as well and she knew he was as confused as everyone who had not yet been exposed to the other dimension's people as much as she had been in the last years.   
Sphere's eyes showed worry as she watched as well and Lancer wondered what her relationship with Megatron was. She quietly left the medical bay. There were a few things she had to check, mainly concerning the sudden rupture in space.

Optimus was left alone with the strange winged creature called Sphere and he watched the medics check the unconscious man. That was Megatron? As a human? Turned human by changing dimensions? He gave the human a closer look, trying to see something that might identify him as Megatron. He had nearly white hair, which was cut short. His skin was slightly tanned and his face showed no deep lines in this unconscious state. A faint scar was visible over his eyebrow. As the medics undressed him to check him, Optimus saw more scars and he wondered what they meant. As a robot, the body was easily repaired. Did scars show in this state? Whenever Rodimus reverted to his human 'mode' he had none. They had disappeared when First Aid had removed them from the metal robot skin.   
The Autobot leader sighed silently. He was immensely curious about these two visitors, but he also had this feeling of looming dread. Something would happen soon and he knew he wouldn't like it. Not the least......

*

Megatron woke with the terrible sensation he had had not such a long time ago and his mind went immediately blank with panic. He felt the unfamiliar over-sensitivity to everything; too much sound, light, sensitive skin. Too much bombarding his body. He opened his eyes, wishing he could shield them automatically against the glare of the light. He gasped as he felt oxygen go down unfamiliar ways into an unfamiliar lung. He sat up, panic threatening to take over.   
"Stay calm!" a voice said and someone took his shoulder, trying to get him to lie down again.   
Megatron looked at the man standing beside him, eyes open wide, body trembling. The touch was nearly too much and his skin relayed almost too many information for him to handle. He jerked away from the stranger.   
"It's okay," another voice said and it was so familiar....   
"Sphere?!" he rasped. Another shiver went through him.   
Something stepped into his visual field and he stared again, this time at the partly familiar creature.   
"You as well?" he whispered.   
Sphere nodded, walking closer. "Yes, I as well." She looked at the doctor. "Can we be alone?"   
The doctor hesitated, then gave Megatron a critical look. "I should check him....."   
"I'm fine!" Megatron snarled. "It's not the first time!"   
The doctor flinched away from the red glow settling over the hazel eyes for a second. Then he nodded and left. Megatron slumped back, feeling nauseated by everything he was experiencing. Unlike the last time there wasn't such a quick adjustment.   
"Where are we?" he asked quietly.   
Sphere snorted and he opened his eyes again, discovering amusement in her emerald eyes. "Do you, by any chance, remember someone called Lancer?"   
The hazel eyes turned red again. "What?!" Of course he remembered Lancer. The memory was quite vivid and he hadn't planned on ever meeting her again.   
Sphere's amusement stayed. "We went over into their dimension. Apparently both our dimensions are very close to each other and dimensional doorways usually open to this place."   
"How do you know?" he snarled angrily   
"I'm a Key, remember? Now and then this is related to learning about doorways, Gates and gateways," she replied.   
Megatron slid out of the bed with an angry scowl, the scowl deepening as his legs threatened to give way beneath him. He forced himself to stand upright, inhaling deeply.

Optimus watched Megatron as he looked around and then turned to the alien horse-like creature. Sphere stood at his side, watching him with a gentle expression in her eyes. Optimus had no idea who she was, except that she was supposed to be a robot and not even a Cybertronian who also existed in this dimension. Of course, Rodimus had reported about the various trips to the other dimension, but Optimus had always felt his partner had left out facts he judged as unimportant. He had reported about the alliance, though, and that Megatron had returned, but seeing his old enemy and as a human was a shock.   
"Are you okay?" Sphere asked, her voice transmitting over the loudspeaker system.   
"No!" Megatron hissed and Optimus saw the hazel eyes turn slightly red once more. An intriguing effect and a clear sign of the other's emotional state. "I am human again! I don't call that okay!"   
Sphere's ears flicked slightly. "Of course."   
The red glow intensified and Megatron's posture grew tense. He stared at the half-reptilian creature, then closed his eyes, forcing himself to relax. Sphere touched his shoulder with her nose and he reached up, gently brushing over her cheek. His eyes turned completely human and met Sphere's. Optimus felt oddly like he was watching a very intimate moment between those two different beings. He felt like he shouldn't be a witness to this because it was private. But still he watched. It was too strange to see someone who had killed in cold blood and had waged war against the Autobots and dozens of other races in this and the other dimension suddenly look so fragile and behave so gentle.   
"It'll be okay," Sphere whispered, rubbing her head against his cheek.   
"I'm not so sure," he muttered, closing his eyes again, sighing.   
"It will be," Sphere repeated.   
Megatron inhaled deeply, his hand resting on her neck for some time, then he straightened. "What now?" he asked.   
She nudged him gently toward the door. "There are people here who want to talk to us; talk about how we got here and how we can get back."   
He nodded. "I thought as much," Megatron muttered, but he walked toward the door.   
Optimus turned off the view screen and walked into the waiting room. He didn't want to reveal his eavesdropping. The door opened and both visitors stepped outside. Optimus' optics were immediately drawn to the small human figure in the jumpsuit. The human looked up as well, meeting his gaze. Their eyes met; red optics and hazel, human eyes. It was the moment Optimus knew he was really facing Megatron. Something inside of him said so, looking deep into the cold brown and envisioning the person behind them. There were differences to what he had always seen in Megatron's eyes but there was also a lot of similarity. He smiled slightly behind his mask.   
"Welcome to this dimension's Cybertron," he heard himself say and a sarcastic smile appeared on Megatron's lips.   
"Thank you," the transformed Decepticon leader answered. "Though I can't say I'm pleased to be here."   
"We are currently trying to find out how to get the two of you back," Optimus told him. "And we're also determining if we can apply the same transformation process to you as we did to Rodimus when he was turned human."   
Megatron scowled. "If you plan to experiment on me, forget it, Prime. I'm not interested in playing an Autobot guinea pig!"   
Sphere gave him a sharp nudge with her head.   
"We won't experiment," Prime corrected. "The process was successfully applied to Rodimus."   
"Who is quite different," Megatron snarled. "I won't volunteer!"   
Sphere gave an exasperated sigh. He simply glowered at her.   
"As long as it takes to open a way back to your dimension you are welcome to stay," Optimus continued, trying to ignore the irritation Megatron radiated even in this small body.   
"How many guards?" was the level question.   
"None. You are free to move around," Prime replied with a faint smile. "But I'd like you to stay close."   
Megatron's scowl deepened as if he wanted to say 'So try and stop me from going outside', but he didn't say anything aloud.   
"Lancer and Rodimus will help you with whatever you need," the Autobot leader went on.   
Sphere nodded. "Thank you," she said, stopping Megatron from saying something he had been about to say. They exchanged glares again and he kept his silence.   
Optimus suspected there was a deeper connection there, though he had a hard time imagining Megatron with a female in a lasting relationship. In this dimension there had always been various rumors about the Decepticon leader's rapid succession of females. Optimus had never found out if it was true or not. Megatron had died some time ago and Galvatron was nothing of the former one. And Sphere was also no one Optimus could picture with Megatron. Whatever they shared, it was beyond his current imagination.   
Right now he simply nodded and then noticed Lancer, who had quietly entered the room again. The look Megatron had for her was nothing if not malicious, though there was a faint smile playing around his lips. Optimus prayed to ever god there was that no catastrophe would happen.

* * *

"A rupture in space," Optimus Prime muttered and looked at the read-outs on the screen.   
Rodimus looked tired as he joined him and Optimus reminded himself that his young second had been without recharge since the whole mess had happened. Rodimus had even flown to the mining planet and checked for traces of their missing friends as well. While he had been there, Ralyk had used its link to him as a Council member and had checked some of the energy patterns set free through the explosion.   
"A temporary one," Midnight added. "It's already closed again and we can only open it through another energon explosion."   
"Which is no option," Optimus muttered. "We neither have the knowledge, nor the resources to explode this quantity of energon and have the expected success. We could do more damage than good."   
\-- There is always the doorway -- Ralyk could be heard.   
"We have no idea which place they were thrown to," Midnight contradicted. "Or do we?"   
\-- Possible --   
\-- Checking energon patterns and read-outs --   
The three leaders exchanged a look.   
"That means Raven has to open and stabilize the centerway herself, if we can find the correct coordinates," Rodimus mused out aloud.   
\-- She can do it --   
Suddenly the screen lit up with a string of coordinates and Rodimus stared at them,   
"Oh, no! Not again!"   
"Lancer's dimension," Midnight translated and smiled dimly. "I wonder why we always end up there."   
\-- Both dimension are very close --   
\-- Ruptures seek the shortest possible way --   
Amusement waved through them as Ralyk smiled.   
\-- And the frequent visits left their marks in the fabric --   
"I'll go," Rodimus decided.   
Optimus shook his head. "No."   
Rodimus' optics flared with slight anger. "What? Why not? I know them, I know my dimensional twin!"   
"And we can't risk to lose you," Optimus told him sharply.   
"C'mon, Optimus, it's not as if I'm likely to get lost!"   
Midnight grinned. "But likely to get into trouble. If you have no objections against me going, Optimus, I'll volunteer."   
Rodimus seemed to radiate indignation, but he kept his quiet as he saw Optimus' cool optics.   
"Can you send me through, Ralyk?" Midnight asked.   
\-- Of course -- was the slightly amused answer.   
"Then let's go and get our guys back," Midnight decided.   
From the look Rodimus shot him, Optimus knew his second would want to have a word with him when this was over.

* * *

"It won't work!"   
Lancer gave a frustrated growl and buried her taloned hands in a near-by wall, slashing it deeply. Her silver eyes glowed in anger and she bristled with energy.   
Rodimus stretched out part of his mind and tried to calm her.   
"The rupture we used last time is already too old," Perceptor muttered. "To put it like this: the wound in the fabric of space healed and the scars it left are too much to punch through."   
Rodimus sighed deeply and nodded. "So we have to find another way."   
Sphere nodded. "But which one?" she asked quietly. "You have no other means than artificially opening an old link and I don't know if my people already know where we are."   
Lancer growled again. She had tried to channel as much energy as she could into the old link that had carried her and Rodimus into the other dimension two years ago. It hadn't worked. The link was down and no amount of energy could open it. It was frustrating and right now she longed to simply take out her fury on something. She felt so helpless!   
"You said you are a Key," Rodimus now addressed Sphere. "Can't you open the rupture?"   
She laughed softly. "If it were only that easy! I can open doorways, artificial structures, but I can't puncture the fabric of dimensions and walk through. No one can, not even Firefall. She can create her personal doorways, but not cross dimensions."   
"So we are stuck," Megatron growled, his eyes red with an anger similar to Lancer's.   
"Looks like it," Sphere answered lightly and joined him.   
Rodimus watched the pair curiously. He had noticed how Sphere kept close to Megatron, how she now and then touched him, calmed him, made her presence known. And he had seen how he reacted to it. Megatron seemed to be a source of constant irritation and anger, but there was also pain in his eyes. He wasn't used to this human body and though he had survived the game planet they had been transported to against their will some months ago, he seemed to have a lot of trouble with his human form now.   
Perceptor had spoken against trying to change him back into his robot body with the same means they had applied to Rodimus years ago, mainly because they didn't know how the molecules would react. They might kill him. Then there was the fact that Megatron wasn't completely robotic in origin. Lancer had told them about the synthoid material trapped in his metal body and this more than anything let Perceptor be very careful with what he might try. Sphere was another matter. She had adapted to being organic quite well, but she had refused to let them try out the machine. If she were turned robotic again while Megatron remained human..... she didn't want it and Rodimus understood her only too well.   
"They will find us," Sphere added as she saw Megatron's dark look.   
"They will think we are dead!" Megatron hissed in return.   
"No. Ralyk knows we aren't. I'm its host and you are linked to it. It would know if we had perished completely."   
Megatron snorted, but didn't reply.   
"Let's go back," Rodimus decided.   
The small group walked back, Sphere keeping close to Megatron who simply glared at everything he could find.

* * *

Riverdance checked her weapons one last time, then turned to Midnight, nodding that she was ready. Optimus had approached her and asked for her assistance, though it was only a question, not an actual order. As much as Riverdance was part of the alliance, Optimus seemed to respect an invisible barrier that started with her Decepticon heritage. That she no longer belonged to the Decepticons held little meaning. She was, like the Sentinels, Seekers and Venerakkin, not under his direct command, though she doubted any of the aforementioned would disregard any of his orders. After hearing him out and quickly running everything through her analytical mind, Riverdance had agreed to accompany Midnight.   
The Sentinel leader had protested at first, but Optimus had argued that he might need back-up and that Riverdance was the best back-up he could get. Riverdance was surprised by this statement and felt deeply honored.   
"Here we go," Midnight now muttered and she watched the doorway open.   
Starscream was present in the doorway chamber and he shot her a mildly amused, but also deeply worried look. She recognized it as worry related to his sister's disappearance. Riverdance concentrated on the doorway again and followed Midnight through.   
The world she had been born in ceased to exist.

* * *

Ultra Magnus puzzled over the strange read-outs of energon. Where was this concentration coming from? He punched a few keys and waited for the scanners to run a second  check....

* * *

Rodimus was frustrated beyond words and he couldn't get himself to concentrate on his work. Midnight was going over into the other dimension because Optimus thought Rodimus would get lost! He wasn't a child anymore! And he knew the other dimension better than Midnight! He growled softly and shut down the computer screen. He couldn't concentrate on that now!   
"Roddy?"   
He glared at Silhouette, who had just entered and she sighed deeply.   
"That bad, eh?"   
He continued to glare and Silhouette sat down on the edge of his desk. "Roddy, please..... Optimus was just worried. He can't risk to lose another one of the command structure."   
"And Midnight isn't one?" Rodimus shot angrily. "He is the Sentinel leader and as much part of the Council and the command staff as I am!"   
"True. But Midnight has a few more powers than you do and he can maneuver inside doorways. If something goes wrong, he isn't...."   
".... helpless!" Rodimus hissed angrily, his blue eyes flashing.   
"No, Roddy, no!" Sil slipped off the desk and laid her hands on his shoulders. "It's not that. We can't risk it, that's it! Please understand! You are important -- for a lot of people." She gently touched his cheek.   
Rodimus looked up into her lovely optics and felt some of the anger fade. A lot had happened lately and even though he would have wanted to visit his twin again, see how everyone was faring over in the other dimension, he also saw reason. At least a bit. Sil bent down and kissed him gently. Rodimus returned the kiss.   
"You are important to me," she whispered.   
He wrapped his arms around her slender middle and pulled her closer, onto his lap.   
"As you are important to me," he replied, resting his head on her shoulder.   
Sil gently caressed his head and neck, smiling. Rodimus drew a deep, shuddering breath, trying to release the tension. They sat together for some time, holding each other, Rodimus trying to center on the important things outside again while his mind was calming down. Sil was silent, letting him hold her, giving him the necessary time.

* * *

"He can't be gone," Ath'antheia growled.   
Roo flinched back under the anger of his superior, but he stood his ground. "We found no trace and his surviving warriors reported he disappeared in the energon explosion."   
The Tji leader hissed. "Get me a team of scientists there and find him! If he were dead we'd surely find traces!" he thundered.   
Roo nodded and quickly left the command room.   
Anrhenjx looked thoughtfully at the display and then entered a few commands. The computer gave him a brief string of numbers and the Tji second looked even more thoughtful.   
"I think I know what happened," he told Ath'antheia softly.   
The other Tji whirled around. "So?"   
"A doorway," Anrhenjx answered. "The explosion sent him through a doorway."   
Ath'antheia was suddenly all ears. "Where to?"   
"Unknown, but from these readings I think I can duplicate the effect -- with enough energon to detonate, that is."   
The Tji leader gave him a sharp look. "Are you sure you can control the reaction?"   
Anrhenjx managed to look hurt, even though the body shell he possessed was incapable of displaying emotions. "Of course."   
Ath'antheia smiled coldly. "Then do it!"

* * *

Some time had passed since the arrival of Megatron and Sphere and a bit of normality had settled in. Rodimus had set Perceptor onto the task of getting the both of them back, even if it meant creating their own rupture in space. An explosion of an energon vein had brought them here, so could the copy this and get them back or at least open a doorway? Perceptor had yet to find a solution or an answer.

Right now Megatron stood in front of the large computer screen and frowned at what he read there. Rodimus watched him and wondered about this version of the Decepticon leader.   
"It won't work," Megatron finally said.   
Optimus frowned at him now. "Why?"   
Megatron smiled sarcastically. "Because it won't work. He won't fall for it."   
Optimus crossed his arms in front of his chest. "We prepared this for days and we took everything into account. It won't fail."   
Megatron sighed and shook his head. "It will. Trust me. This is another me you are talking about and," his eyes darkened perceptibly, "someone I was in my dimension for too long a time. Your Galvatron is as dysfunctional as the Galvatron in my dimension was, but even though he won't simply abandon such an important base just like that. It's a trap."   
Rodimus noted with interest how Megatron spoke about his former self. Dysfunctional? Very intriguing.   
Optimus sighed. "We are going through with it," he decided and then looked at Rodimus in case his partner had any objections.   
Rodimus shrugged. He knew Megatron from the game planet and he knew the Megatron he had faced in his dimension. But was this version of Megatron really able to get into Galvatron's head?   
Optimus walked out of the room and Megatron gave a angry hiss. "Fool!"   
"How do you know that this version of your former self is the same you were?" Rodimus asked carefully.   
Angry red eyes glowered at him. "None of you is really all that different from his twin!" Megatron replied. "Why should it be different with my former self, eh?"   
With that he turned and left.   
Rodimus sighed. There was some truth in his words. Up to a certain time even their personal histories were the same, splitting about the time Rodimus Prime had met Midnight. The dimension's history was different, though, but the many personal events were similar. Rodimus frowned. He looked at the target area again. Maybe .... just maybe Megatron was right, but somehow he felt reluctant to trust him in it.

* * *

D'rlanzinhj had checked out the situation on this twin of the Cybertron he knew and he had found the perfect hide-out for him. A shell that was both strong and would serve as a great disguise. He moved in on the unsuspecting robot and scanned its signatures. It wasn't constructed the way its twin was and it would be difficult to take over, but so was everyone here. It would take some getting used to, but D'rlanzinhj was convinced he could do it.   
He attacked.

* * *

Lancer found Sphere a disturbingly receptive person. Nothing seemed to slip by her and she also radiated a life force that unsettled the young mutant. Unlike Megatron, whose morphogenic field Lancer could sense to a degree, Sphere seemed to consist of two energy points, one in her chest, one in her abdomen, both very much alike, both different in so many ways. Then there was her keen sense of perception in general. She was always alert and on her toes, but not in the sense of battle-readiness, more like someone who would help immediately if required.   
And she loved Edana. The child returned the feeling and stuck to their strange visitor from the beginning. Alexandria had taken one look at the large horse and decided that her sister could keep it as a play mate.   
"How are the others back home in your dimension?" Lancer asked while they walked down the corridor.   
"Fine, considering the war raging there." Sphere sighed and shook her head. "It's so sad to think that those who set us free to develop and later join with them are now trying to exterminate us -- for no apparent good reason."   
Lancer nodded. The Jabez were the creators of the Cybertronians as well, but they were not set out on annihilating them like that. The danger to Cybertronian kind was much greater in the other dimension than here. Here, problems were different, though equally serious.   
"It might be prying, but ....what's your connection with Megatron?" Lancer now wanted to know. Edana had made some remarks which had puzzled her mother.   
Sphere looked a bit caught. "We are close," she said then.   
Lancer understood. "Ah." A smile crossed her lips.   
Sphere snorted in amusement. "It's a difficult relationship, now even more than ever, but we somehow manage."   
"I can believe in this difficulty," Lancer muttered.   
The horse-like being nodded. "Everyone has his or her problems. I didn't choose this particular problem, though. Megatron showed his interest in me quite clearly, but I was not the least bit interested in him."   
Lancer chuckled. "That I can believe as well!"   
Sphere chuckled as well, then grew serious. "Not because of missing attraction .... more because of my heritage, my human side. Maybe I overreacted as well, but the next meeting ended with him on the floor and me ready to blow a hole into him."   
Lancer grinned. "And now you are life mates?"   
Sphere raised a thick eyebrow and her wings rustled. "I wouldn't go that far, Lancer. I'd say we are ..... having an on and off affair. Sometimes all I want to do is beat him from here to the next warp gate, then again ....." her features softened, "he's a very vulnerable person."   
"Like right now?" Lancer inquired calmly.   
"Like right now. He can't handle it and I know he needs to sound off now and then." The Key sighed. "Sparks was always a good ear for this kind of outbreak and I wish she were here. Or that I were human as well. He is in pain, but I don't know how to take it away....." She shook her head.   
Lancer decided to change topics. "How's Shanygn?"   
Sphere smiled. "She went into a relationship with Nicholas, but it's difficult, as far as I know. I don't know a lot about it because apparently only Rodimus and Sil have an idea what's wrong with Shan, but ...." Sphere shrugged.   
"But she has a relationship," Lancer added.   
"Yes, she has. And Kim, Danny's wife, had a child. Her name is Dana Janine. Daniel mentioned they want a second child." Sphere grinned. "You should have seen Nightmare's reaction to the baby. He was close to a panic! You think he'd grow accustomed to small humans after he saw Mel grow up."   
Lancer smiled, looking kind of sad, her memories concerning Daniel Witwicky mixed with his premature and violent death in her dimension. That he had married and now fathered a child was good news. At least he had a chance to live his life to the fullest somewhere else.   
"Are you okay?" Sphere asked and her soft breath ruffled Lancer's hair.   
Lancer nodded, trying to pull herself together. The faint musky odor Sphere radiated made her relax and she found herself patting the strong, muscular neck, the scales unusually soft beneath her hands. It was this strange aura of Sphere again. She was a great person to talk to, to listen to, to relax with.   
"I know a bit of your history," Sphere told her calmly.   
Lancer's eyes met those of the Key, but she said nothing. Suddenly Sphere's ears perked up.   
"A doorway!" she breathed and her ears turned like little radar dishes.   
"What?" Lancer demanded in surprise.   
"Close by," Sphere whispered and slowly walked a few steps away from the mutant.   
"Can you locate it?"   
Sphere nodded and the two females were on their way.

* * *

"They are moving!"   
Rodimus stared at the screen and couldn't believe it. A small team of Tji warriors was moving into the system of the mining planet they had just lost.   
"When will they get there?" he asked levely.   
"Three standard hours," was the reply.   
Rodimus nodded. "Stage one alert. Ready the first team. I want to know what they are up to and I want our team there to intervene!"   
Jazz nodded and sent out the call.

* * *

White-hot pain tore through him and his circuits screamed as they were overloaded by an energy he didn't know. He thought his memory circuits were bursting and something seemed to slip into his body, trying to shove him out. He fought back, his survival instincts kicking in.   
More pain.   
Darkness threatened.   
His consciousness was violently removed from his core, shoved into the back of his mind.   
He shuddered and witnessed how something alien and strong took control of his body.   
NO!

* * *

Lancer eyed the new-arrival carefully. She had told Sphere to stay back and hide in case this was a hostile encounter, but a small voice told her it wasn't. The man had jet-black hair and his green eyes were mixed with a bit of blue. He was dressed in equally black clothes and the fabric seemed to radiate darkness of its own!   
"Midnight!" she breathed.   
Then she became aware of a second life force and looked up. Not far above the human of whom she thought was someone she knew was a robot. A robot bat. Red eyes met hers and she frowned deeply. The bat jumped away from the wall it had clung to and transformed. It was a female and it had to be a Decepticon, though the symbol was worn looking while the body was well-maintained. The powerful construction couldn't be hidden by the female design and some of her weapons were visible, like the sword on her back. Lancer met the wary and suspicious optics of the female, who was tense and ready to defend herself and Midnight.   
"Hi, Lancer," Midnight now said and smiled. "I think you have some people we'd like to get back to our dimension...."   
Lancer nodded and allowed herself a smile. "We do. You changed."   
Midnight smiled and his blue-green eyes danced with amusement. "Yeah, I guess. It was quite a surprise."   
"Your friends have turned organic as well."   
The Sentinel sighed. "Oh, no. How is he taking it?"   
Lancer chuckled. "As well as can be expected. Who is your friend?"   
"Lancer, this is Riverdance. Riverdance, this is Lancer."   
Both females looked at each other and both seemed to recognize some of each other inside the other. Lancer nodded and Riverdance lifted one corner of her mouth.   
"Why are you the only one to form the welcome committee?" Midnight now asked.   
"I was around. And I'm not alone. Sphere's here as well, but I told her to stay back. Rodi will be here in a second. Optimus is busy getting the mess back at central straightened out. Megatron is not exactly what he is used to."   
Midnight chuckled and Riverdance tried to suppress an evil smile.   
Several minutes later Rodimus, and with him Sphere, arrived and transformed. He grinned at Midnight, who smiled back and shrugged.   
"Where is Steve?" the Autobot commander asked.   
Midnight touched his chest. "Inside. It feels weird and he thinks it's the strangest thing he's ever gone through, but he's with me."   
"I already called Optimus and gave him an idea what to expect," Rodimus added. "You didn't happen to bring the cat along?"   
Midnight broke out laughing and Riverdance smiled broadly. "No," the Sentinel gasped. "I couldn't do this to him on top of getting turned organic once more."   
Rodimus transformed again and Midnight and Lancer got in while Riverdance transformed and flew after them.

* * *

Sparks sat in the empty office and looked around. It wasn't only empty, it felt empty on top of it, missing a vital part: the owner. She let her eyes linger on the empty chair behind the desk and sighed.   
Damn this pet program! she cursed silently. She would never be able to become an independent person with this pet side inside of her! Now she was already beginning to miss her 'owner' and it nauseated her.   
No, she decided a minute later. She didn't miss him with her pet side. I miss him with my personality side. Gods, what has happened to me?   
The answer was as simply as it was frightening: she was fond of Megatron and she truly liked him.   
Eee-yuck! part of her thought; the part which usually mouthed off to the Decepticon leader and which always taunted him and tried to drive him crazy. But the other part, the one which cared and which was a very compassionate personality, was deeply worried about him. Megatron and Sphere had been abducted to another dimension, most likely the one Lancer came from, and everybody could only hope that nothing had happened throughout the forced transfer.   
Sparks sighed deeply again, feeling so very much alone. Her 'family', her four kittens, had grown and left. Xanadu was on Skritakaar most of the time, Red with Daniel and Kim on Nebulos, Maverick roamed the wilds of space with the Venerakkin and Fuzz had disappeared weeks ago, exploring the planet. But even with them around, she would have felt lonely right now.   
Someone entered the office and she looked up, not even hissing at the intruder into 'her' territory. The intruder was Cyclonus. The Decepticon second-in-command looked at her and nodded to himself.   
"Raven said I'd find you here," he said.   
"So?" she muttered.   
"She thought you might want to get out and among people again."   
Sparks snorted and curled into a tight ball. "No, thanks."   
"You'd rather wallow in miserable sadness alone," he said.   
Sparks shot him a narrow-eyed look. "Since when did you develop a sense of humor, Cyclonus?"   
He walked over and looked down on her. "Since it was necessary to survive against you, cat."   
She snorted again, eyes sparkling a bit. "If you don't mind, I'd rather stay here and 'wallow' a bit more, okay?"   
He shrugged and then left again.   
When the door had closed after the Decepticon, Sparks curled up tightly again and closed her eyes. Yeah, wallowing sounded about right.   
After about five minutes of wallowing, the door opened and Sparks suppressed another sigh. She wondered who it was this time because she knew it wasn't Megatron. The Decepticon leader always stormed in and tried to chase her off his desk. Something landed lightly beside her and settled down. A metal snout poked her softly and she peered over her bushy tail, looking right into two red, clearly cat-like optics. Normally those optics displayed few emotions and if they did, they were quite feral; but right now there was an unusual softness in them.   
|| How are you? ||   
Sparks had been surprised by Ravage's ability to speak the very first time she had heard him talk to her. He truck someone as a quite type, only able to send strings of data instead of talking normally. But she had found out different soon.   
"Did Cyclonus send you?" she asked provocatively.   
Ravage brushed his head against hers, letting her anger and frustration brush over him. || No. ||   
She purred slightly and enjoyed the feeling of her mate being so close. Ravage continued to play with her fur, nuzzle her, trying to get her to relax. Sparks sighed in pleasure and playfully pawed at him, giving herself in to her cat side. Ravage pawed back with a soft rumble and tackled her. She surrendered and brushed her head against him again. Ravage settled down beside her and she snuggled against him.

* * *

Malice walked along the corridors of the building that served as a command center, shoulders hunched, hands in the pockets of her pants. She didn't want to be here but she had had no other choice. Maelstrom was in orbit around Cybertron and Talon had told her if she didn't leave the ship for a few hours voluntarily he'd throw her off. So she had left while the others were running checks on the cloaked vessel. Soon they'd be leaving again and for Malice it wouldn't be soon enough. She didn't dislike the planet, but she also didn't plan on staying any longer than necessary. She never stayed long anywhere or enjoyed it overly much, Maelstrom was her home, though even there she felt like she didn't belong. Lancer had told her several times to get a grip on herself, but she always failed at it. She was missing a purpose in life.   
Malice entered the dayroom on this level of the building in the vain hope of finding Shellshock. Instead of him she found a stranger. It was a male human, white-haired, tanned skin, tall.... and obviously in trouble. The man was leaning hard against the vending machine, breathing rapidly, arms curled around his mid-section. His eyes were screwed shut and the face lined with pain. She shoved her own problems aside and approached him.   
"Are you okay?" she asked, though it was obvious he wasn't.   
For a fleeting moment Malice wondered if he could be a Convert, but then, Converts didn't show pain.   
The man looked at her, his hazel eyes glazed in red. His face was covered by a fine sheet of sweat.   
"Who ...are ... you?" he rasped and suddenly doubled over in pain again.   
Malice grabbed the sagging body and felt the tremors running through him. The man cried out and then fell unconscious, his body and mind no longer able to take what he was assaulted with. Whoever he was, he needed help badly! She activated the intercom and called sickbay.

* * *

"Where's Optimus?" Springer asked.   
Ultra Magnus shrugged, optics pinned to the read-out screen. Springer walked over to the commander and peered at the screen.   
"Whazzat?"   
"I'm not sure, Springer. I picked up energon readings not far from here, as if part of the pipelines had burst. I sent out Blurr and Arcee, but they found no leaks or ruptures and the energon reading had also moved on. I lost it for some time and now it's back." Magnus rubbed his chin. "I traced it close by the command center here and then it was gone again."   
"Weird," Springer agreed. "Decepticons maybe?"   
Ultra Magnus shook his head. "Too much concentration of energon. No Decepticon army or strike force would give off such concentrated readings." He turned to him. "What was that about Optimus?"   
"Oh, I'm just looking for him and can't find him anywhere."   
"He might still be with out visitors," Ultra Magnus started, but Springer shook his head.   
"Nope, tried it there first. He left some time ago."   
"Ask Elita then."   
"Same luck."   
Now Ultra Magnus frowned. "Personal com-link?"   
Springer sighed in exasperation. "Magnus, please! Don't you think I tried that already?"   
Now Ultra Magnus looked truly worried. "He has to be somewhere....."   
"Yeah, but where?"

* * *

He was trapped.   
Inside his own body.   
Optimus Prime went up against the strong wall surrounding his prison and tried to break it, but he encountered only more walls. He banged against them in frustration and was suddenly thrown back violently.   
Someone laughed softly.   
:: Don't even try it, Autobot child :: the voice whispered all around him.   
Optimus felt rage rise inside of him. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Why are you doing this?"   
More laughter rang through the confined space that was his prison and suddenly the walls started to contract, move in on him. Optimus had the feeling of getting crushed alive and a scream tore from his lips. He was suffocating and his mind was squeezed together.   
"This is what awaits you if you continue to resist," the voice whispered nastily and more pain swamped him.   
Suddenly, just before he had lost grip on his consciousness completely, the pressure eased and he slumped down, shivering, trembling, his mind roaring. He felt the walls move back and the possessing presence was also gone. He inhaled deeply, trying to stop the tremors running through him, but he couldn't. He thought he saw the walls moving again and curled tightly into a ball.

* * *

Anrhenjx watched the proceedings and smiled in satisfaction. The preparations were almost complete and following the energy patterns, the other dimension might prove to be very intriguing. He nodded at one of his warriors to go on with the last few connections. They would soon be able to blow the energon deposit and then open the doorway.

* * *

"This is strange," First Aid said and straightened from the read-outs. "Following the scans, Megatron's molecules tried to rearrange themselves..... similar to the process you go through every time you morph into a human and back again, Rodimus."   
Rodimus frowned. "But how? He has no idea how to do it!"   
"No, he doesn't," Sphere said softly, her voice laced with deep worry, "but his body does. It's the morphogenic field."   
First Aid gave her a puzzled look. "Morphogenic field?"   
Sphere nodded and explained the theory of morphogenic fields to the two Autobots and the brunette human female who had found Megatron. ".... so the field reacts to the energy patterns of the planet an individual was born on. Megatron morphed back into a robot when he was returned from the game planet and Roddy and Sil followed later on after their bodies had grown accustomed to Cybertron again."   
"So his body tried to get him back to normal because this Cybertron is similar to yours," Rodimus mused out aloud and Sphere nodded. He knew about morphogenic fields from the experience on the game planet.   
"With a few differences, which affect the morphogenic field and which are responsible for the spells of bodily pain."   
"One more reason to get you back as fast as possible," the young Autobot leader said forcefully.   
"Why aren't you changing?" First Aid asked, puzzled.   
"Because I wasn't born on Cybertron," the Key explained. "I was once humanoid and my body was created on a space station that housed Ralyk for millennia."   
First Aid nodded, accepting the brief explanation. "I can't do much for him," he then said. "I don't believe pain-killers will help and I have no idea how to suppress this morphogenic field."   
Sphere looked at the sleeping human form in the treatment room not far away. Megatron had slipped from unconsciousness into sleep without waking.   
"We just have to live through it," she said softly and then walked over to the room, intent on being there when Megatron woke.   
Rodimus sighed softly and then looked at Malice. "Thank you for getting him here so fast, Malice."   
The young mutant shrugged, her hands buried in her pockets, eyes fixed on the two visitors. Rodimus exchanged a look with First Aid and both Autobots left her alone. Malice slowly walked over to the room and was greeted by Sphere's compassionate eyes. She shivered under the gaze, which seemed to penetrate her shields down to her very soul. Malice was sure Sphere wasn't telepathic, but somehow the strange creature seemed to be able to read her.   
"I have to thank you as well," she now said.   
"I didn't do anything," Malice answered and shrugged.   
"You found him and called for help. He might still lie there undetected, Malice." Sphere smiled a bit and her wings rustled.   
Malice looked at Megatron, who now looked completely relaxed. "He was a robot once?"   
Sphere nodded. "Both of us. We are just visiting -- but not voluntarily." She sounded amused.   
Malice nodded as well, as if she had expected this answer. Her eyes were still fixed on him. "I hope he gets better," she then said softly, turned and left.   
Sphere tilted her head and studied the retreating human.   
"She is troubled," she whispered to no one specific and there was no one who might hear her. "Deeply, deeply troubled."   
Then she settled down on the floor, wings hugged tightly to her sides, legs folded under her. She would wait for Megatron to wake up.

* * *

"Oh, gee....." Midnight ran a hand through his thick, black hair and shook his head. "Why is it whenever we meet, we are in deep trouble?" It wasn't a question he expected an answer to.   
Rodimus smiled a bit. "Magnetism?" he ventured forth.   
Midnight grimaced. "I hope not!" He held up his hands. "No offense meant. So we wait for Megatron to wake up and then get back to the spot Ralyk sent us to. Raven and Nightmare will open the doorway at preset times.   
Rodimus nodded. He studied the smaller version of a robot he had met only a few times but found quite intriguing. Midnight raised an eyebrow.   
"Something wrong?"   
Rodimus smiled. "No, just curious. Whatever triggered your transformation?"   
The Sentinel shrugged and looked at Riverdance, who kept in the background and had said nothing so far.   
"Well, looking at who was transformed and who not I'd think Megatron's transformation was triggered by his curious molecular structure. He was human on the game planet and morphed back. I think this might have triggered it. As for me, maybe because of the Interface."   
Lancer frowned. "How much is your partner aware of this whole thing?"   
Midnight grinned. "Oh, very much. He can communicate with me, but he can't phase out. He's like a second mind inside of me, just like usual."   
"What about Sphere?" Rodimus asked. "She was never organic before."   
Midnight sighed and shrugged. "Maybe because she was humanoid one. I have no idea. And Riverdance ....." He shrugged once more.   
The female Decepticon smiled briefly, but kept her silence. Rodimus merely nodded.   
"I'll go and inform Optimus about your arrival. You just take it easy and don't get stepped on."   
"Don't project your own problems on others," Midnight laughed as Rodimus left.   
Lancer only chuckled as she picked up her partner's thoughts. Then she turned to the human Sentinel. "Well, how do you feel about something to eat?" he asked slyly.   
Midnight raised an eyebrow again and she found it a cute gesture. He had a very expressive face anyway and those eyes held a certain magnetism on their own.   
"Why not? I always wanted to try out a burger and find out why Shanygn can't get enough of them."   
"If you humans excuse me," Riverdance spoke up and her amused red optics met Midnight's slight scowl, "I'll have a look around here myself." She left.   
Lancer gave Midnight a curious look. "I'll introduce you to food, you tell me about her." She nodded at the door Riverdance had just closed after her.   
"Okay, you got a deal!"

* * *

D'rlanzinhj knew he had to move fast and act quickly before someone noticed that this body shell was missing. He transformed the shell, encountering problems as he did so because the consciousness of the robot was still alive and he fought him every step of the way. He pushed the consciousness back with a new shower of agony and pain, which let the robot curl away with a shriek. D'rlanzinhj  chuckled and slammed one of the walls right into the consciousness, which seemed to gasp and nearly break into two. Finally the body shell settled into the vehicle mode and he rolled off.   
Much to his anger, D'rlanzinhj had been unable to take over this body shell as easily as the shells back home in his dimension. The Cybertronians here were build similar, but not similar enough. Connections were different, circuits looked strange and neural pathways were inconsistent with the tech specs he knew. Because of this he had been unable to kill the core consciousness and it was still there, fighting, interrupting.......   
D'rlanzinhj sighed and concentrated on driving straight to the point he had arrived at. The moment he was back in his dimension and had contacted Ath'antheia he could deal with the rebellious consciousness forever. Right now he didn't have the time to spare.

* * *

"What do you mean you have no idea where he is?" Rodimus exploded. "He can't just have disappeared!"   
Ultra Magnus winced a bit and Springer wished he were somewhere else.   
"We searched everywhere," the triple-changer explained meekly. "Optimus is not anywhere in the complex or in any of the other buildings....."   
Rodimus shook his head. "Then widen the search! He can't just have disappeared!"   
Someone burst into the room. "Isawhim!Isawhim!HewasrollingtowardtheEpsilonsector!"   
Rodimus stared at Blurr, who was moving frantically from one position to the next. "Epsilon? That's where Megatron and Sphere arrived...." He frowned.   
"Why would he go there? We already checked for any leaks in the dimensional structure," Ultra Magnus said slowly.   
"And why didn't he report where he was going?" Rodimus added sharply.   
The young commander exchanged a look with Lancer, who merely nodded at his unspoken question.   
"You stay here," Rodimus told the others. "We'll check this."   
With that he and Lancer left the room in a hurry.

* * *

Megatron had left med bay against the better advise of First Aid. The medic had no other arguments for his stay than the sudden spells of pain. Megatron had growled something unprintable and left nevertheless. Sphere had sighed softly at his manners, but she had been silent throughout their walk through the corridors.   
"Megs?" she finally asked and he rolled his eyes at the abbreviation of his name.   
"What?" he demanded angrily.   
Sphere pushed him against the wall, her wings keeping him from moving away. "Listen to me," she said forcefully. "I know you hate this, I know you are in pain and don't want to confess it, but we all just want to help. I want to help." Her breath disturbed his hair.   
His eyes, which had glowed red once more, softened again, turning the usual hazel color. "I......"   
Sphere stepped closer, wishing once more she was humanoid, not four-legged with wings. Her head loomed above him and her eyes were deep pools you could lose yourself in.   
"It's not wrong or evil to feel," she said softly, almost too soft to hear. "It's nothing evil to be afraid or to hurt."   
Megatron looked at her, pain etched deeply into his eyes, but he refused to let the last mask fall. He simply touched her strong neck and rested his head in her mane for a minute. Sphere wrapped her wings around him and felt him tremble. She knew he was in terrible pain because of the morphogenic field which constantly tried to readjust his body to the planet and failed. He just tried not to show it. And he was deeply bothered by the human body, which he might eventually grow accustomed to if not for the constant pain.   
After a minute he detached himself and there was a faint smile on his face, which he wiped off his lips as he saw Rodimus Prime and Lancer running down the corridor.   
"Something has happened," he said slowly.   
Sphere nodded and gave him a glance. "Wanna find out what it was?" she asked casually.   
He only grinned.

Malice had watched the exchange of tenderness with mixed feelings. On one side she was incredibly jealous, on the other side she wished them all the best. Even if both were in different bodies right now, it was clear that there was something between them. Sphere was a gentle, calm personality and Megatron was a volatile, short-tempered individual, the complete opposite. Still they had found each other.....   
She wrapped her arms around her body and felt the familiar tears rise, the familiar wound open and the old pain, which was like a friend to her, spread through her soul.   
Malice cried softly.

* * *

D'rlanzinhj stopped the body shell and transformed it laboriously, keeping it in balance with some difficulty. He scanned the area and located the place he had entered this dimension -- and also encountered the barriers which had popped up naturally, closing the leak effectively. He cursed softly. What now? He had to find a way back and this opening had been his only hope!   
Engine noises alerted him to others approaching and he turned, discovering an Autobot. It was the second commander the Autobots had in this dimension. He transformed and walked closer. At his side was a blonde woman in a black dress.   
"Optimus? What are you doing here?" the Autobot asked warily.   
D'rlanzinhj cursed again. He was probably suspecting that something was wrong because he had abducted this shell and driven here without informing the others. Of course they had started to miss their leader and had finally located him. Most likely one of the other Autobots had seen him pass by.   
"Checking on something," D'rlanzinhj answered with the voice of his body shell.   
He felt something inside of him bang against the barriers erected around the shell's consciousness. The former owner of the body was trying to get out. D'rlanzinhj put up more walls and then concentrated on the Autobot again. He saw suspicion in the other's optics.

Something was wrong, Lancer decided and it weren't only the sporadically flickering eyes. Optimus moved like .... a robot. Okay, he was a robot, but he had never moved this jerkily, as if he had no control over his body. And his voice sounded wrong. Rodimus confirmed it through their link and he was already opening his subspace link to materialize his weapon. He was reluctant to shoot at his older friend, but if it proved necessary......   
Someone landed beside them and Lancer discovered Sphere. Megatron slipped from her back, looking a bit pale and as if he was in pain, but right now Lancer had other matters to focus on.   
"Oh, no!" Sphere breathed all of a sudden, her emerald eyes pinned on Optimus. "He's possessed."   
Optimus turned his flickering optics on her and suddenly the light in his eyes died completely. This normally meant unconsciousness or death in a robot, Lancer knew, but he was still standing upright and he was moving!   
"Tji!" Megatron hissed.   
"What?!" Rodimus demanded.   
"One of the Tji must have come through with us!" Sphere exclaimed in horror. "It has possessed Optimus!"   
Lancer tried to make sense of it and it all came down to something possessing Optimus Prime and controlling him. Rodimus only confirmed it again, his mind an open book on the information he had about Tji and their methods of controlling a body he had acquired while visiting the other dimension.   
"Then we'll get that thing out of him!" she growled and felt the first stages of her metamorphosis begin.

D'rlanzinhj knew he was no match against all of them, even if three were organic, in this body. He was unable to control the body shell any longer and two of the organics knew what he was. But they didn't know all of him. Few had ever encountered a Tji, mainly because the energy beings were none who got involved actively in anything.   
He cut all links with the shell body and attacked.

The Tji shot out of Optimus Prime's body with a roar that didn't really fit the luminous energy body. He didn't look overly beautiful, as expected of an energy life-form. The body was like a tangled string of wool, unraveling here or there, tentacle-like extension swinging back and forth. The color of the body was a bluish yellow, looking like an unwashed piece of cloth. It hovered over Optimus Prime for a split second, then it charged.   
Megatron stumbled back, but one of the tentacles hit him and he screamed in pain as every nerve-ending was set on fire. The Tji roared in triumph and lashed out again, but this time Lancer reacted faster. Her energy lance met the tentacle and the Tji recoiled with a growl. It seemed to form a tight ball, then exploded into her direction. Lancer, using her mutant body reflexes, jumped out of the way and where she had been mere seconds before was nothing but a scorched circle.   
Optimus' body crashed to the floor like a puppet without strings and he moved faintly, his hands twitching uncontrollably for a second, then he went completely motionless. Rodimus stumbled forward toward his partner, seeing no wounds on the outside but if he remembered correctly what his twin had once told him about this race and what a Tji did, Optimus circuits might be torn and molten.   
Megatron lay not far away, his clothes burned, his skin blistered. He was still conscious, breathing raggedly, trying to control the pain. His eyes were a hazy red and Rodimus thought he felt the anger inside the humanized Decepticon rising into rage, trying to overwhelm the pain, trying to get him back 'on line'. He blinked and stared at Optimus, his lips a thin white line. Sphere was at his side, wings outspread as if she wanted to protect him, eyes filled with anger and helplessness.   
"Is he all right?" Megatron asked, voice shaky and rough.   
Rodimus was once again very much confused by the difference between the Megatron -- or Galvatron -- he knew and this person.   
"I don't know. He could be dying inside," Rodimus answered softly.   
Megatron closed his eyes and hissed softly, a sound relaying his own pain and what he felt for Optimus.   
The Tji roared once more and then disappeared through an opening in a building. Lancer gave a roar of her own, ready to follow, but Rodimus held her back.   
"It's getting away!" she growled, flashing angry eyes at him.   
"We won't catch it like that," he told her. "And right now we have a much more serious problem....."   
Lancer hissed in fury, but she didn't chase after the Tji, which could be anywhere now. Rodimus contacted the command center and told them to send medical help and also launch a search for a strong, moving or maybe stationary energon field. Lancer's eyes fell on Optimus Prime and she knew it was serious. He had not regained consciousness and his skin color had taken on a strange, gray hue.   
First Aid arrived minutes later and confirmed the seriousness of the situation. Optimus Prime had fallen into a coma.

* * *

Starscream drummed his fingers against the console, then straightened with a frustrated growl.   
"What's taking them so long?" he muttered.   
"They might not have found Sphere and Megatron right away," Raven said, her yellow eyes two pools of calmness.   
"Yeah, maybe." He leaned against the wall and watched the doorway close once more. It had been their third attempt and he knew that success was never insured in the first few runs.   
"Relax," Nightmare added with a smile. "They are all right. Ralyk would know if something had happened."   
"Sure. But would it tell us?" Starscream asked.   
"That, my friend, is a very good question."

* * *

Midnight wriggled his fingers and then concentrated. A strange feeling passed through him, the same feeling he had had since he had arrived here; a feeling he knew from the day of his birth, but which had manifested only after he had Interfaced with Steve. Part of his aura seemed to bunch together around one finger and when he pointed somewhere, the blackness shot out like a whip.   
"Oh, great," he muttered.   
The black tentacle had struck the wall and left a burn mark.   
"Just great....."   
Steve chuckled slightly. << Well, that's something new >> he commented.   
"Yeah, something I could go without!" Midnight muttered.   
<< Just keep calm, Mid >>   
Midnight sighed and tried out a few more moves with his aura, which reacted without a delay to his intents. Fascinating.   
<< Enjoyed the food? >> Steve asked teasingly.   
Midnight laughed. "In a strange and perverse way, yes. It tastes good, but you have to get used to the chewing and what the chewing makes of it."   
Steve joined in the laughter. Midnight had really been fascinated by human food and though Lancer had tried out several tricks on him to diminish his enthusiastic appetite, he had cleaned away the whole burger with fries and something called a milk-shake. Lancer had been visibly impressed and told him that she might send Rodimus over for a few lessons concerning eating.   
<< And you really made some of those cadets dizzy >> Steve chuckled. << The way they swooned over you.... and you didn't even talk to them! >>   
"Steve...."   
<< Tarakk would be jealous.....>>   
"Steve!"   
But Midnight knew that he really had an effect on the other sex. Lancer had explained to him, while trying not to break out in hilarious laughter, that he looked stunning as a human -- because he had asked her why every woman he passed turned her head.   
<< Hey, just stating the truth... >>   
Suddenly Midnight's neck tingled slightly and he turned. A man stood in the room. He was quite tall, blond and his whole body seemed to be surrounded by a faint golden shine, coming from his sun-tanned skin. Midnight's eyes were drawn to the face of him though. Something struck him immediately like a physical blow: pain, loss, sadness, desperation. The expression in the man's face was neutral, but his eyes relayed everything negative he had ever gone through and Midnight felt like hitting a wall. Their eyes met and the man seemed to scrutinize him from head to toe.   
"Uh, hi," Midnight ventured forward.   
"Hello," the man replied warily, his voice dark and deep. "You are one of the visitors." It wasn't a question, it was stated as a fact.   
Midnight found himself nodding. "The name's Midnight...." He raised an eyebrow.   
"Shellshock," she man said. "You are not an Autobot...."   
Midnight smiled. "No, I'm a Sentinel and usually I look a bit different."   
"Don't we all," Shellshock muttered and Midnight would nearly have missed the soft words.   
Steve moved faintly inside him and he felt his partners confusion about Shellshock. Midnight knew he was missing something here.....   
"Uhm, you live here?" he tried to get the conversation going again.   
Shellshock's eyes darkened perceptibly. "Not any longer."   
With that he turned and walked out of the room. Midnight was now more confused than ever. "What in Primus' name was that all about?" he muttered.   
Suddenly Riverdance ran into the room. "We got trouble," she said briefly.   
Midnight shot her an inquiring look.   
"A Tji's here," was all she answered and it was all he needed to know. He ran after her as she exited the room again.

* * *

Rodimus paced the room and finally stopped when he heard Lancer's exasperated cry in his mind. He looked down and met his life mate's eyes, smiling slightly at her expression. Then he turned his optics back to the examination room again, which was currently occupied by Optimus Prime. First Aid and Perceptor were checking him, working on the little damage that had occurred throughout the violation of his central core unit.   
Two of their visitors were already waiting with them. Riverdance was leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of her chest, her optics slightly dimmed. Midnight sat on the human-sized waiting room chairs and watched the bustle all around him. It was all they could do: wait. Finally the door opened and First Aid stepped out, his face a mask of weariness and worry.   
"How is he?" Rodimus immediately asked.   
"Physically he is nearly fine again. The attack destroyed some circuits through energon overload and we had to replace them, but that was nothing major. I'm more worried about his lack of response to any outside stimuli."   
Rodimus' face displayed his worry. "What?!"   
"He's comatose, Rodimus," the medic said softly. "The whole experience got him into a kind of sudden shock and he has retreated into what he thinks is safety: a coma."   
Rodimus' lips became a thin line. "Can we get him out of it?"   
"I'm not sure. I have yet to find a way to get to his consciousness and every outside force we used had the same result: none at all." First Aid shook his head. "He will come out of it eventually, but I can't say how long it might take."   
"Thank you, First Aid," the young commander muttered and when the medic was gone, he cursed loudly.   
Midnight raised an eyebrow as he heard the string of unprintable words and lifted one corner of his mouth into a smile. Rodimus turned to the two visitors.   
"I want to know all about this Tji!" he said forcefully. "I want to know how to locate and destroy it!"   
Midnight nodded. "Can be done, though I'm not so sure how we can destroy one. As for Optimus Prime: you can call yourselves lucky he is still somewhere in there. Tji usually kill the original owner of a body shell when they force themselves into the central core."   
"Yeah, right, lucky!" Rodimus hissed. "He's comatose!"   
"But alive," Riverdance said calmly. "I saw many of my old comrades and former enemies on the battle field and they were nothing but dead husks. Killing them was mercy."   
Lancer flinched and Rodimus felt her thoughts go to the Converts. For a second he felt incredible rage rise inside of him, but he squelched it with the anger he felt right now.   
"Your friend is alive in his shell," Riverdance went on remorselessly. "And he can wake up again. Others weren't that lucky. Right now we should concentrate on the more important mission: find the Tji and eliminate it."   
Rodimus nodded. "I want Megatron in on that as well," he decided.   
"Which reminds me that I wanted to check on something concerning him," Lancer muttered. "You go ahead, I'll be with you in a minute." With that she left.

*

Malice was exactly where Lancer had thought she would be: her quarters.   
"I need your help," she told the other woman right away and saw Malice's eyes grow large.   
To Lancer's eyes, Malice still looked too pale and somehow always like she was coming down sick with something, but compared to some months ago she was in a much better shape.   
"Help with what?" Malice now asked carefully.   
Lancer gave her a brief summary of Megatron's condition and Malice started to shake her head.   
"No, I can't do that!" she exclaimed.   
"You can!" Lancer told her forcefully, anger bristling through her at Malice reaction. "You have the powers and you can help him!"   
"No!" Malice whispered.   
Lancer grabbed her, shaking her shoulders. "Snap out of this 'I-can't-do-anything' attitude, girl! Someone out there needs your help and you can give it! If you don't, he might die!"   
Malice's eyes grew wide. "But .... I could kill him as well!"   
Lancer gave an exasperated growl and had to hold onto herself not to snap. "Malice, you are a superb telekinetic and don't tell me you can't work this delicately, because I know you can! All you have to do is counteract the morphogenic field's movements!"   
Malice looked away and she trembled a bit. Lancer finally let go of her shoulders and turned to go, disgust clearly written all over her face.   
"Wait!" Malice called as she left the room.   
Lancer stopped and looked at the pale woman, raising an eyebrow.   
"I.... I'll do it," Malice whispered.   
Lancer smiled. "Thanks, girl."

*

Megatron sat on the examination table and let the doctor take a look at his shoulder, which should look burned and blistered, but wasn't. His skin was slightly more red than in other places and tender to the touch, but there were neither burn marks or scars. His metabolism was too weird even for his own liking and the doctor was equally puzzled.   
"I've never seen anything quite like this before," the medic now muttered and stepped back from his examinations and shook his head again. "Your shoulder is just fine, though a bit sore. I think that will pass in a few hours as well."   
Megatron nodded without a word. He got his shirt back on and slipped from the table, feeling the ever-present pain inside of him launch another attack. He gritted his teeth and tried not to let it show, but it did. The doctor grabbed his arm.   
"We have to do something about this!" the medic muttered angrily.   
"There might be a way," someone said and Lancer stepped into the room, closely followed by the woman who had found him the first time.   
The doctor frowned.   
Lancer pushed Malice in front of her. "Malice can keep the morphogenic field stable for some time," she explained.   
The doctor's frown deepened a bit. "Through telekinesis?" he asked doubtfully.   
Malice was silent while Lancer nodded. "It's possible, but it's not a permanent solution. At least this way the pain stops." She looked at Megatron, her face set in a determined mask.   
Megatron had not a lot experience with human facial expression, especially the subtle differences, but right now he saw that even if he said no, Malice would be assigned to him. But he wouldn't accept it without at least showing what he thought of it; not without a fight.   
"I don't need a baby-sitter!" he snarled.   
Malice's expression didn't change, but Lancer's did.   
"She's not a baby-sitter, she's someone helping you!" she shot back. "Either you live with the fact that your body is slowly destroying itself through the constant attempts to change or you accept help!"   
Megatron glowered at her.   
"And the way you are behaving right now I'd say you need a baby-sitter," Sphere chimed in and entered the room.   
His angry eyes focused on her, but she simply shrugged the glare off.   
"You won't feel a thing," Lancer added. "She simply keeps your molecules straightened out."   
Megatron looked from Sphere, who was giving him sharp looks, to Malice, who didn't meet his eyes and generally looked like she was just short of fading away. She had a mouse-like appearance, he decided. Too pale, thin and dressed in clothes that didn't seem to fit her. Her eyes were always turned away from others and her hair hung into her face, as if it was a shield.   
"All right!" he hissed finally.   
"Thank you," Sphere whispered as she approached him and rubbed her nose at his cheek.   
Megatron felt himself relax a bit, as he always did when she was around. Then he straightened and turned to Lancer. "How is Optimus?"   
The young woman's face darkened. "Not good," she said. "It's also one reason why we need to talk to all of you. Optimus is in a coma and the Tji is still lose. I already talked to Midnight, but we need everything we can get on this creature to locate it."   
Megatron nodded and followed her out of the room, Malice following him in turn like a shadow.

* * *

"We are ready," Katalumera reported.   
Anrhenjx nodded and walked over to the control console and checked everything for the last time. The small team of warriors was ready and the moment they opened the doorway, they would go through. He activated the countdown.

* * *

D'rlanzinhj moved quickly through the empty tunnels and airconducts, trying to get as much distance between himself and his last known position. Finally he settled down beside one of the energy converters. He trembled with exertion, mainly because getting out of his host shell and then fighting his way to freedom had taken up a lot of his strength. Now he was safe, at least for a while, and he could think about what to do next. He had to get back, tell Ath'antheia about this bridge between dimensions and that there were body shells here for their taking. But how? He needed a doorway back......   
D'rlanzinhj decided to get his strength back first, then search on. Suddenly he picked up faint energy patterns he recognized immediately.   
Doorway!   
Someone had opened a doorway for a few, brief seconds and then closed again.   
The Tji smiled dimly and settled back to recharging. The moment he was strong enough he'd go for the coordinates.

* * *

Scans were running on full and Rodimus pushed everyone to the limit. They had to find the Tji and Midnight agreed with him that it was vitally important. One Tji could do a lot of damage and that he hadn't killed Optimus was no guarantee that it would stay this way. The next Cybertronian he possessed could die. Maelstrom had been informed of the threat and their scanners were up on full as well, looking for energon anomalies everywhere. They had yet to find something.   
Malice stuck to Megatron like a fly to honey. She concentrated on his morphogenic field and found it relatively easy to readjust it. For now. She knew that with time it would get to her because she had to work on a level she normally never accessed: the molecular level. Every time the field around Megatron shifted and started influences his molecules, she gently pushed them back into their old position. Megatron ignored her most of the time, but now and then he glanced at her, mostly when she had managed to dull the pain again. Malice evaded his eyes then.   
"I think we found something," a voice suddenly came out of the intercom and everyone perked up. "The scanners picked up a too strong concentration of energon at the following coordinates," Talon went on and then sent the coordinates.   
"Oh, no!" Midnight exclaimed. "That's our point of arrival! It's where the doorway opens frequently!"   
"Let's go!" Rodimus decided.   
"Shouldn't you take some back-up along....?" Ultra Magnus started.   
"And give the Tji a chance to take over someone else's body?" Midnight asked before Rodimus could think of something. "It can only take over robot shells!"   
"So it could take over Rodimus," Magnus argued.   
Midnight shook his head. "For the Tji, Rodimus is Interfaced. He's immune and it would be too much work to take him over. And as humans or humanoids were are immune as well."   
"We are the most logical choice," Rodimus agreed.   
Ultra Magnus didn't like it, the young commander saw, but he accepted it. They all raced out of the room. Megatron followed them as well, shooting Midnight a glare as the Sentinel gave him a strange look. Malice hurried to catch up to him.

* * *

Energon exploded.   
An incredible force was set free.   
It ripped through the fabric of space.   
The doorway was forced open.

* * *

Lancer had seen the Tji only shortly before it had fled and only through her demon's eyes. Now she saw it again and she was fascinated by the energy creature, though her fascination was overpowered by the need to destroy this thing for what it had done to Optimus. Midnight joined her and she felt a sudden coldness radiating and turned. She discovered a faint, black aura around him.   
They all crouched behind some cover and watched the Tji hover where they had arrived not so long ago.   
"It's waiting for the doorway to open," Midnight whispered.   
"When will it open?"   
He frowned, thinking, then said, "In about two hours your time."   
Lancer nodded. "Now we need a way to kill that thing!" she hissed.   
Midnight smiled faintly. "Just tell me how and I'm in."   
She frowned. A Tji was pure energy, its pattern similar to energon, so shooting at it would only result in feeding it.   
Suddenly the cloud of energy stopped and stretched out a few tentacles in their direction.   
"Uh-oh," Midnight muttered.   
"It discovered us," Rodimus said levely.   
Lancer straightened, getting ready for the confrontation. "Then let's greet it," she rumbled.

* * *

Twilight entered the doorway chamber and settled down in one corner. He was in his dragon mode.   
"Something wrong?" Raven asked and approached their visitor. Twilight never came down here without a good reason.   
"I'm not sure," the Seeker answered. "Jaimaa's a bit disturbed lately. She has no idea why."   
Raven tilted her head. She had met Twilight several times and was always fascinated by this weird joining of a Tji and a Seeker.   
"You think it has something to do with the accident?" she asked.   
He shrugged. "When will you open the doorway again?"   
"The preset time will be in about one standard hour," Raven replied.   
Twilight looked at the doorway construction. "Could you open it now?" he wanted to know, his voice thoughtful.   
Nightmare joined his team mate. "Sure we could, but why?"   
The dragon looked back at them. "Just a feeling. Could you? Only for a brief minute?"   
Raven and Nightmare exchanged a look, then shrugged and nodded.

* * *

The fight was unfair, mainly because the Tji wasn't the least bit impressed by what the opposition could throw at him. Energy weapons had no other effect that to make it even more mad and it mainly aimed for Rodimus, who it had identified as a possible body shell. Tji were unable to sense an Interface, only feel it upon body contact, so everyone was trying to keep the Tji away from Rodimus. One of those attack runs came too close and Midnight launched part of his only weapon, the aura, at it.   
The effect was incredible.   
The Tji recoiled and the aura stretched more and followed it.   
Midnight screamed, but no sound came over his lips. Something roared in his ears, drowning out everything else, and his body seemed to twist into every direction. He felt the darkness, the aura, flare and grow, developing a life of its own. He knew the aura was controlled by instinct and his instinct was currently on pure survival. Steve had long since been shut out and all he was aware of was the darkness; and the danger he knew he was in.   
The Tji.   
It was still out there.   
Midnight groaned as more energy was channeled into the aura.

Lancer moved back instinctively as Midnight's body seemed to lash out with blackness. The Sentinel's eyes turned bright green and his pupils were drowned by the green of his iris. His face went blank like a mask, his body rigid. The Tji screamed as the first black tentacles lashed toward it and tried to tie it down. Wherever the blackness touched, the Tji's body sizzled and steamed.   
"Oh, no....." Sphere whispered, her wings quivering. "He can't do that! Somebody has to stop him!"   
Lancer's head whipped around. "What?" She felt for Midnight's life force and was surprised to 'see' it dwindling fast.   
"If he goes through with it, it will kill him. Midnight can't channel so much power! Not in this human condition!"   
The Tji roared and fought back against the darkness. A tremor ran through Midnight and he groaned softly, his face suddenly screwed in pain. The darkness increased and Lancer saw the spark of life dwindle even more. Where was he taking the other energy from? It couldn't come all from his life force!   
Black tentacles wrapped themselves tightly around whatever part of the Tji they could grasp and the sizzling noises increased. Midnight's eyes flared and he gasped as the tentacles started to pull the Tji toward him.   
"Midnight, stop!" Sphere screamed and ran over to him, trying to wake him out of his fighting rage.   
The Tji broke free of the grasping darkness and lunged at Sphere. The Key was flung aside, hitting the wall of the building and breaking down in a tangled heap of wings and body. Energy arched over her body and she shuddered.   
"Sphere, no!" Megatron yelled, his eyes turning red in fury.   
The Tji wailed as new tentacles got a hold of it and began to drain it of energy. Lancer hesitated for a second, then decided there was only one thing she could do. The aura was going for energy, which was the Tji, and if someone else would deplete it of energy.....   
Lancer closed her eyes and began her work. Part of body began to greedily absorb the energy all around her, sucking in both the Tji and part of Midnight's aura. Her body cried out in joy at the energy overflow, but suddenly something sinister and dark hit her. Her eyes flew open and she was faced by total darkness. Here and there black lightning exploded and whirlpools of energy made her dizzy. She was looking right into Midnight, she realized, in a part that made him so different from every other robot she had ever met.   
Her demon rose with the danger level.   
Her eyes flared white, Lancer fanged and growled.   
The energy inside her crackled in anticipation and the second a black tentacle went her way, she fought back.

* * *

"The opened a doorway!" Voodoo cried and shot toward the rupture in space, which was brightly visible now.   
The Tji were already on the move and part of their strike team was through. The whole doorway looked like a cut in space, the edges glowing slightly, wavering a bit, as if a soft wind was moving them.   
F/X roared after Voodoo while Tornado and Phoenix went for those Tji who had not yet entered the doorway, engaging them. The rest of the team followed swiftly and was joined by two Autobot battle ships a moment later.

* * *

A tremor ran through Twilight as Jaimaa stretched her invisible tentacles through the doorway into the other dimension. Jaimaa gave an enraged scream as she encountered something she had not hoped to.   
:: Tji! ::   
Twilight gasped. "In their dimension?!" he exclaimed.   
:: Yes! :: she replied. :: Get into the doorway! We have to stop him! ::   
Twilight hesitated. "But....."   
Jaimaa gave him a mental shove and he stumbled.   
"Jaimaa!" he growled.   
The female Tji sent impatient waves through him and Twilight resigned.   
"What's going on?" Starscream demanded and simultaneously one of the intercoms went off.   
Nightmare answered it.   
Twilight's golden optics glowed. "A Tji went into the other dimension."   
"And he's not alone," Nightmare growled. "That was Rodimus. The Tji strike team exploded energon near the point the first explosion took place and opened a large rupture in space. Tornado and Phoenix are keeping part of their force in check, but some got through."   
"Damn!" Starscream's face turned dark. "We need to go there!"   
He turned toward Raven and Nightmare and the two nodded, setting the doorway to open again.   
"Yo, wait up!" someone called.   
Starscream scowled at the small figure approaching them.   
"Don't look at me that way," Shanygn told him, clad in full exo-armor. "I'm coming with you, that's a fact. Either that or you are grounded."   
Starscream's scowl deepened. "You can't give me orders."   
Shanygn smiled. "No, but I can be a pain in the neck."   
The former Decepticon snorted.   
Twilight chuckled. "Let's go."   
The doorway opened and they stepped in.

* * *

Malice was strained beyond belief and she knew she couldn't fight the wildly fluctuating morphogenic field around Megatron much longer. The energies set free through the battles around her, Lancer's own energy-happy nature and the Tji's body were influencing the field, making it shift and twist, trying to rearrange Megatron's body into his old form. Malice groaned and staggered.

Megatron groaned as well, stumbling and then falling to his knees. Something seemed to twist his body from the inside out and white-hot pain exploded through him. All his worry about Sphere was eradicated by the agony inside of him and he cried out. He panted heavily and suddenly his skin turned white, then silver. He screamed in pain once more as every molecule stretched and started to split up, replicating at a rate that was too much for him to take.

Malice was unable to counteract the morphogenic field and she saw only one way out of it: help the field. She channeled everything she had into the field and was greeted by success. The molecules, which had been confused by the strange energy field of the planet were suddenly guided by a much stronger force and happily complied. Megatron's body started to change, using the data in the morphogenic field and the energy available all around him.

* * *

Rodimus Prime stood on the battle bridge of the lead ship of the two battle cruisers and watched the display of fire power outside. His optics were drawn to the opening in space and what he could see there: Cybertron. Several Tji warriors had managed to flee through the crack in the dimensional fabric and the others were engaging the Cybertronian strike force.   
He felt something tingle along his mind and with it anger rose. Shanygn had gone through the doorway without his approval and though he understood her, he couldn't sanction her actions. She should have asked! Then again, he sighed, she probably had tried to contact him but he had been too busy being angry at Optimus for not letting him go himself. Whatever, he was missing his Interface partner. It wasn't as bad as the last time, probably because the dimensional gateway had been forced open and allowed links to be established, but Rodimus still felt her absence in a subtle way.   
Let's hope she didn't get more than she bargained for, he thought and tried to calm himself with the fact that Twilight and Starscream had gone as well, equally without approval.   
"The Tji are falling back," Springer reported. "And the scanners registered the gateway is closing."   
Rodimus nodded. "Hold position."   
Springer acknowledged and Rodimus turned back to watching the fight, part of his mind reaching out toward Shanygn, trying to at least feel what was going on in the other dimension.

* * *

"Primus!" Rodimus exclaimed and stared at the two combatants.   
It looked like a battle between Good and Evil. Lancer was a white and sparkling cloud of energy and Midnight a pool of absolute blackness. His body was barely distinguishable, though it seemed to be an even blacker black than the aura. Lancer was fanged out completely, firing her energy lances at the aura and at the very center.   
Rodimus glanced over to where Sphere was trying to get to her feet -- and stopped. The horse-like body had taken on a metallic quality and she seemed to shape-shift profoundly now. Her body became metal, her joints more pronounced like a robots and her eyes green optics. The wings turned into razor-sharp blades and the mane and tail into energy-laden fibers.   
A scream echoed around him and Rodimus gasped as he saw a second shape-shifting taking place, but this one wasn't as smooth as Sphere, who was shaking her head now. The Autobot commander discovered Megatron, kneeling on the ground, his body blurring because of the violently rearranging molecules. He whimpered softly, then screamed in agony. The body grew larger, the skin whitish silver, the eyes brightly lit red optics. Malice stood not far away from him, her eyes fixed on the shape-shifting Decepticon, hands clenched into fists, face covered in sweat.   
"We have to stop them," Riverdance called and tore Rodimus' attention back on the battle at hand. "Midnight will kill himself with this and if Lancer hits him when he gets weaker, he might die as well!"   
The Tji roared, but it had weakened visibly and was more and more sucked into the darkness.   
"Tell me how?" he whispered, aghast. "I can't really get through to her in this state!"   
Riverdance smiled cruelly. "Then let's get involved. She has targeted Midnight. If I can get her attention away and confuse her, do you think you could get her to calm down?"   
A scream could be heard, this time more human, and they saw Midnight stumble. The aura drew together protectively and Riverdance gave a soft sound of denial as she saw the human Sentinel grab his mid-section and go down. Lancer hissed in triumph and sent another energy lance. She hit the aura again, which seemed to make a last, desperate lunge at her. Lancer was too surprised by this and the tentacle hit her.   
Rodimus groaned as well as he felt echoes of the touch, the icy cold, the paralyzing numbness spread through him through Lancer.   
<Lancer!> his mind screamed.   
_Icy._   
_Cold._   
_Blackness._   
_All devouring._   
_All enveloping._   
_Emptiness._   
_Paralyzing._   
_Surrender......_   
<NO!>   
_Slick darkness._   
_Blind in the darkness._   
_Sleep._   
_Surrender....._   
_Give in to the void._   
_No more fighting....._   
_Yes._   
Rodimus screamed, his mind a screech of denial as he reached for his life mate, trying to pull her out of the blackness.   
< Lancer, no! Please! >   
The darkness was like a living creature, self-aware, hungry, angry. Lancer was trying to escape, but she couldn't move and all Rodi could do was stand where he was an call her. She turned toward him and he saw her brightly lit eyes.   
< Lancer! >   
She staggered and stretched out one hand toward him.   
Rodi saw the darkness rise all around him like a liquid substance. He felt it rush around his feet, dark and foaming, rising with supernatural speed. He gasped as it rose to chest level and higher.   
< LANCER! > he screamed.   
Their hands met and he gave a sob of relief, then the water collapsed over their heads, pulling them down. Rodi felt his mind burst, but he held on to the fragile hand in his own, fighting to return.   
And then he was out of the foaming water. He kicked free of the darkness and gasped for air.   
Reality slammed in.   
Lancer collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Midnight did the same, the darkness flowing back into him, his body briefly surrounded by a black cloud that soon dispersed. The Tji roared and seemed to grow in strength again. It rose a few feet above the motionless bodies and stretched out several, writhing tentacles.   
And then it happened.   
Something exploded over the planet, creating a light show of such a magnitude that Rodimus briefly thought the space station had blown. Then he saw something that looked like a large cut in space, the edges glowing in bright blue. Small specks could be seen coming through the opening and streaking toward them. There were three of them, all looking a bit gray, as if their skin was coated by a thin layer of grayness.   
"Tji!" Riverdance cried in alarm.   
Rodimus stumbled, his mind still halfway connected to Lancer's, her feelings of cold and pain radiating through him. He tried to get his thoughts straightened out, but he couldn't. Riverdance started to fire at the approaching Tji and hit several of them, but they didn't seem to be impressed by the shots, which went into their bodies, but had no effect.   
And then another wave of visitors arrived, this time through what looked like a conventional doorway. Rodimus thought he saw a dragon. The dragon was colored in anthracite and light blue and its golden eyes were brightly lit. The Tji they had been facing from the start whirled around and screamed.   
"Jaimaa!"   
The voice had to belong to the Tji, though it seemed too deep, too dark for such a light creature.   
"D'rlanzinhj. I thought you had perished long ago," the dragon growled.   
"You are the one who will perish soon!" the Tji prophesied. "Traitor! Help has come! We will take this world and its body shells!"   
The dragon bared a row of black, gleaming teeth. "I wonder who the traitor is, D'rlanzinhj. Me or Ath'antheia. He is a murderous lunatic! He is a killer!"   
The cloud bunched together and then exploded into tentacles again. "He is eradicating mistakes!"   
"No, he's committing genocide!"   
D'rlanzinhj hissed and suddenly lunged at the dragon.   
"Who is that?" Rodimus breathed, rooted to the spot by the fighting taking place in front of him and the incredible emotions radiating from Lancer. They were like shackles, keeping him chained to the spot, unable to act, though he was trying to fight them down, wall them in.   
The Tji, D'rlanzinhj, seemed to try and envelop the dragon, and the dragon was countering with what had to be electrical charges coming out of its body.   
"Twilight," Riverdance replied, still blasting the attackers. "Host of Jaimaa. She is a Tji as well."   
Rodimus shot her an incredulous look. "But ...."   
"Later," Riverdance said and shoved him aside to get him out of the immediate line of fire.   
She jumped up immediately after that and pulled her sword. She targeted a Tji and attacked with a war cry. Something thundered over him and Rodimus was finally able to get his mind clear of the disturbing emotions. He stared at two jets, both marked as Sentinels, chasing one of the Tji. How....?   
"Yo, Rodi!" someone called and he discovered the next surprise.   
"Shanygn!"   
The exo-clad figure bowed swiftly. "At your service. What the hell is going on here? Every time we get to meet, you are having a party and we weren't even invited!"   
Rodimus smiled grimly and materialized his weapon. "I'm not yet sure who's throwing this party, but I know who wasn't invited!" he growled.   
He aimed at a Tji, which had landed not far away from them. Cold eyes turned toward Rodimus and the Autobot shuddered.   
"Defcon," he whispered in horror as he recognized the shell.   
The Tji ignored him and aimed for the easier targets. Rodimus squeezed the trigger. The shot had no effect at, except to blast a hole into the shoulder. The Tji advanced toward the unconscious figures of  Midnight and Lancer.   
Something silvery white approached at a break-neck speed and transformed in mid-flight. It was Starscream! The former Decepticon slid over the surface like a skier, turning 180 degrees around his axis and puckering the Tji with his blasts while he still slowed his advance toward those he was trying to protect. Shanygn launched herself up into the air with her suit, stretched her wings and swooped toward Lancer. She grabbed the limp woman in mid-flight and shot away again. Rodimus didn't stop firing at the enemy robot. Finally Defcon's body shell keeled over and lay still.   
The Tji emerged a second later, visibly strained to drag its luminous body out of the metal husk. It wavered, turning a sickly yellow, and was suddenly caught in two strong jaws. It managed to slip out again, but was visibly weakened.  The dragon hissed a growl and an arc of electricity hit the Tji. Twilight's body was bathed in blue energy, shooting tentacles toward the Tji and pulling him in. Twilight roared and Rodimus had no idea whether it was of pain or something else. His eyes went from bright gold to completely white and then into a more moderated golden hue. He shivered once and then quieted down, the energy arcs passing between his stylized feathers disappearing completely.   
The other two Tji were trying to get back to the wide open cut in the dimensional fabric. The two Sentinels, Voodoo and F/X Rodimus realized, followed them, hunting them back.   
The dimensional doorway, the large rupture in space, was already closing again.

Starscream, his energon pump beating wildly with the heat of the battle, his circuits twitching with the thrill of the fight, turned and looked around, searching for a new target. It had felt incredibly good to be a warrior again, to be in battle and go up against a worthy enemy after such a long time of nothing particularly exciting. His optics fell on Sphere, who was trying to get to her feet.   
"Sis!" he breathed, all his battle-happiness forgotten.   
Sphere was struggling to keep her balance and finally transformed, nearly falling again. Starscream rushed over to her and helped her. She looked at him and smiled.   
"You?" she asked, sounding incredulous.   
"Yeah. Couldn't let my little sister stay lost," he replied with a wry grin.   
"I'll show you little when we're back," she promised in low tones, her eyes gleaming.   
Sphere looked around and moaned. Starscream followed her gaze and felt conflicting emotions rise inside of him. Megatron lay not far away from their position, optics dark, unconscious. His skin looked dull and washed out. At his side lay a dark-haired, female human, equally unconscious and very pale. Sphere ran over to him and knelt down, checking automatically for life signs.   
"What happened?" Starscream wanted to know, his optics checking for shot wounds, but he found none.   
"She must have influenced the morphogenic field!" Sphere breathed.   
"Morpho-what?"   
She waved him away. "Later."   
Starscream shrugged and resigned himself to getting enlightened later.

Rodimus ignored everything around him and ran over to Lancer. Shanygn was at her side, weapons ready, but there were no more targets. He morphed into his human body, disregarding the fact he was stark naked, as he knelt down beside Lancer. He touched her mind. Her eyes opened abruptly at his touch and relief flooded through him.   
"Lancer?" he asked nevertheless.   
The brief silver glow disappeared and she closed her eyes for a second, then opened them again, taking in her surroundings.   
"You are naked," she remarked unnecessarily, her voice weak but gaining in strength.   
He grinned. "So what?"   
"You might catch a cold."   
Rodimus chuckled.   
"Oh, you can stay like that if you ask me," Shanygn joked, her voice amused.   
"Shanygn?" Lancer breathed in surprise.   
"Yep, the one and only."   
Suddenly Lancer's face grew dark. "Midnight!" she exclaimed and got up unsteadily. She groaned softly as she saw the motionless body.   
Riverdance had already run over to the unconscious Sentinel. Lancer did the same, Rodimus in tow. The Autobot decided to get back into his old body. Lancer's eyes were wide with guilt as she stretched out her mind to find Midnight's life force. It was a weak and badly flickering flame.   
"We have to get him to sickbay," Rodimus decided and called for help.   
Blaster asked a string of questions at his call, relaying Ultra Magnus message that they were coming to them because they picked up both the opening of the dimensional doorway and the fighting. Rodimus would have rolled his eyes in exasperation if he could have. Great! More company!   
Someone approached them and Rodimus discovered Sphere -- back in her robot body! She was accompanied by Starscream, who looked as relieved as they came.   
"What ... happened?" Rodimus asked, too surprised by her appearance to ask anything else.   
"Looks like the energy output handled my problem," Sphere replied with a smile. "And Megatron's, though I guess your friend Malice played no small role in it either."   
Lancer looked over to where Megatron stood and froze. He was holding Malice in his hands who seemed to have fainted.   
"She is all right," Sphere said gently. "I think it was just too much for her."   
Lancer nodded, but she still kept on watching the Decepticon leader as he walked over to them, gently placing Malice onto the ground beside the equally unconscious Midnight. Rodimus tensed visibly as he saw a form he was familiar with and she felt him force himself to relax. Megatron had a washed-out look to himself and Lancer realized that he was still weak. The transformation back into his old form had taken its toll. The Decepticon leader shot a strange look toward his former second-in-command, but didn't say anything. Starscream lifted one corner of his mouth into a sarcastic smile.   
Twilight walked slowly over to them as well now, transforming in the process. He nodded at the ones he knew and answered Rodimus' wary look with one of his own, though he looked a bit more curious than suspicious.   
"What did you do with that Tji?" Lancer asked.   
Twilight's optics sparkled with amusement. "Dinner," was all he replied.   
"What about that up there?" Shanygn now asked, pointing at the still open doorway, which was closing steadily.   
"It will be closed in a matter of minutes," Starscream answered. "I will stay here to keep an eye on it."   
Twilight nodded. "Like me. Voodoo and F/X chased the two other Tji back, but until the rupture has healed again, this dimension is in danger."   
Shanygn suddenly tensed and Lancer shot her an inquiring look. "Nothing serious," the blue-haired woman said after a second. "Roddy just got through and he doesn't know whether to be totally pissed that we went into the doorway or relieved that nothing serious happened."   
Lancer smiled tiredly, but didn't say anything.   
Help arrived minutes later and they were on their way back, each wrapped up in his or her own thoughts.

* * *

The last of the Tji strike force was obliterated in a hail of deadly fire and the dead body shells floated in space, drifting past the two battle cruisers and the few Sentinel and Seeker jets. As far as they could determine, two Tji had managed to escape, but just barely. Rodimus had let them. It was far more important to secure the closing gateway until it was completely shut.   
Right now he sat in the command chair, busy sorting through what Shanygn was transmitting. She had refused to come back right away and had told him she'd wait for everyone to get checked for injuries, treated and then sent through the doorway until she would leave as well. Rodimus cursed her silently, but he knew there was no changing her mind. She was set on it and it would take a miracle to make her change her decision.   
Sometimes I think we are too much alike for out own good, he sighed and had to smile.

* * *

First Aid was at a loss as to how to get Optimus out of his coma. The longer the Autobot leader was under, the more worried the medic got. All systems were running just fine, but the mind was wrapped up tightly in protective shields against a long gone threat. Now he also had a human patient, though Midnight at least reacted to the treatment he was receiving and had regained consciousness a few minutes ago. Perceptor had taken over checking Sphere and Megatron, and the human medical team was worrying about Malice, who had completely exhausted herself.   
"Well?"   
First Aid turned and looked into the worried blue optics of Rodimus Prime. "Nothing yet. I can only theorize about what the Tji did while possessing him, but it had to be a lot to overpower such a strong mentality as Optimus'."   
Someone else stepped into the room.   
"A Tji attack can do a lot to another's mind," Shanygn said softly. "Since D'rlanzinhj was unable to take out his mind, he forced him back into a part of himself and trapped him. He could do anything to him there."   
Rodimus clenched his hands into fists. "We have to get him out of there!" He turned to the Interface partner of his dimensional twin. "Twilight is joined with a Tji. Couldn't he help?"   
Shanygn looked thoughtful. "I don't know. His connection to Jaimaa is different from everything the other Tji are doing to their possessed shells. And I don't think that another Tji entering his body will rouse Optimus out of his coma." She looked at Rodimus. "It wouldn't work."   
Rodimus gave a frustrated hiss. "I feel so helpless!"   
"The Matrix," someone suddenly said weakly.   
The two robots and Shanygn turned and discovered Midnight, still human, leaning heavily against the door frame.   
"What are you doing up?" First Aid exclaimed.   
"I'm okay," the Sentinel said, waving the worry away.   
Shanygn made a 'Yeah sure' noise.   
"What do you mean 'the Matrix'?" Rodimus inquired.   
"Both of you are connected through the Matrix," Midnight explained and gestured at Optimus. "You could reach him through this link."   
"How do you know that?" the Autobot commander asked, confused.   
"Because our dimensions are very much alike in many regards," Midnight answered with a faint smile. "And that is one of the parallels -- or isn't it?"   
Rodimus had to grudgingly agree. He turned to First Aid. "Get a second bed in here. I'll go in."   
First Aid looked like he wanted to say something, then he simply nodded. Rodimus looked at the pale Sentinel.   
"You better get some rest."   
Midnight nodded. "Wouldn't want to be in the same room with Matrix energy anyway," he muttered.   
Shanygn grabbed his arm. "C'mon, handsome, let's find you a nice bed to get some sleep."   
Rodimus was alone with his older partner and looked at the motionless form. "I'll get you out," he whispered a promise.   
"And I know you will succeed," a female voice said.   
Rodimus turned and discovered Elita One. The female Autobot looked gravely worried, but there was also hope in her optics.   
"You can do it," she said softly and joined him at the side of her life mate. She gently touched the lax hand.   
"I will try," he told her.   
Elita only nodded.

*

In another part of the med bay, Megatron sat silently through the examination and watched how Malice was placed onto a bed and covered by one of the medical blankets. The human doctor checked her once more, then left. Malice had saved his life, Megatron knew, though she had gambled quite a lot with what she had done. If she had pushed too hard or not enough, he might be dead now. But he wasn't.   
"Everything okay with him?" Sphere asked and walked into the room as Perceptor stowed away his equipment.   
Megatron felt his energon pump react to her presence, her robot body, but on the outside there was only a dark look on his face.   
"His molecular structure shows a few peculiar quirks, but all in all he is fine," Perceptor replied and then took his cue and left.   
Sphere looked into the direction Megatron was looking and smiled a bit. "She did good," she said and looked at him.   
Megatron only rumbled something.   
"How do you feel?"   
He met her inquiring and caring gaze and wished he wouldn't react to her this way. She was somehow able to take the tension away, at least for a while. She counteracted his temper just like Malice had counteracted the morphogenic field.   
"Better," he finally ground out.   
Sphere smiled again and took his arm. "C'mon, let's get out of here and somewhere where you can rest a bit."   
As she lead him out of the examination room, Megatron glanced over to where Shanygn stood together with Midnight, talking in soft voices.   
"What's going on over there?" he wanted to know.   
"They will try and reach Optimus' mind through the Matrix link between him and Rodimus," Sphere explained. "It's a chance to get him out of this coma."   
Megatron nodded, only too familiar with the link from his experience with the two Primes in his dimension. He followed Sphere out of the med bay and through the waiting room area. Some of the Autobots they met shot them looks ranging from disbelief to curiosity to hostility, but no one stopped them. Rodimus had taken care of informing everyone that they had visitors. When they arrived in the quarters Rodimus had arranged for them, Sphere stopped at the doorway.   
"You get some rest, I'll see what .... hey!"   
Megatron had grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room. The door closed after her......

* * *

Rodimus was racing along a brightly lit tunnel and finally stopped inside what seemed to be a larger chamber, lit in soft blue colors. He looked around and discovered that there were many different shades of blue, some very light that they were almost white, other nearly black. He drifted through the room and tried to find a trace of Optimus. He knew he was inside the Matrix and he knew he had to search for a way from here to Optimus' mind.....   
Something seemed to pull at him and he drifted with it. He was floating right toward one of the medium-blue patches -- and through! Rodimus blinked and found himself in a dark, cave-like room. He looked down and discovered he was .... more or less human.   
Part of the room seemed to light up slightly and he walked around, noticing that he didn't feel anything like his human self. The sensations were missing, but his body was no longer that of a robot nevertheless. Then again, this was his mind traveling. His body had stayed in the lab. And then he saw him.   
"Optimus?"   
Rodimus held no doubt who the other figure in the room was. Just like himself he appeared humanoid and two blue eyes looked at him out of a pain-etched face.   
"Optimus, it's me," Rodimus said gently and approached the lonely figure.   
Optimus moved away and his body seemed to fluctuate, seemed to be inconsistent. "Stay away," he rasped.   
Rodimus winced at the pain and fear in the normally strong and deep voice. "It's okay," he said calmly. "The Tji is dead, you are safe! Please, come back with me....."   
Optimus shook his head. "It's another trick," he whispered. "To lure me out of here and kill me."   
"No!" Rodimus protested.   
Somehow this reminded him of the time Lancer had tried to draw him out of his fear, his protective wall, the cocoon to keep him safe and away from all the pain.   
"I'm real," he said softly, pleadingly. "I came through the Matrix. You can feel the Matrix, can't you?"   
Optimus hesitated and suddenly he started to tremble. "I ...can...." he managed.   
"You can feel my link, I know it. You know that I'm real," Rodimus went on, his voice intense.   
Anguished blue eyes locked with his. "Yes," was the rough reply.   
The young Autobot approached his older friend and stretched out one hand. Optimus stared at him with a mixture of wary hope and the desperation to survive.   
"Trust me?" Rodimus asked softly.   
He held his breath, nearly literally since he had a lot of experience with breathing in general, as the figure shifted slightly.   
"Please?"   
Optimus hesitantly reached out for him.   
Their hands met and Rodimus was suddenly flung back the way he had come. He was greeted by a whirlpool of sensations and emotions -- and memories.   
Optimus Prime's past.   
Orion's death.   
The birth of Optimus Prime.   
His love.   
His passion to win this war.   
His helplessness concerning the death of others.   
His hope.   
Elita.   
His death at Megatron's hands.   
Another rebirth.   
Rodimus gasped as he was treated to a lot of personal memories, also concerning him, and he tried to shut them out. This was private. This was nothing he should see.   
Suddenly everything subsided and he was left with only Lancer's presence in his mind. It took him a second to get his bearings and then he sat up, his optics immediately drawn to the still prone body of Optimus Prime on the bed beside him. First Aid was fussing over the Autobot leader and looked up as Rodimus swung his legs out of the bed.   
"He went back on-line," the medic told him, his voice heavy with relief.   
Rodimus felt the same relief sweep through him. "How long until he is conscious again?"   
"Not much longer," First Aid replied. "I'll give you a call."   
Rodimus shook his head. "I'll stay here."   
First Aid simply shrugged and went on with his checks.   
Suddenly Optimus Prime's optics lit up and a tremor seemed to run through him.   
"Optimus?" First Aid asked.   
Optimus struggled to sit and the medic helped him. "I'm okay," he coughed.   
"Why don't you let me decide this?" First Aid asked gently. "You just sit here and let me do the work." He turned to get some scanners.   
Optimus sighed and then looked at Rodimus. There was incredible, undisguised relief written over the younger leader's face.   
"Good to see you back," Rodimus said with one of the smiles usually associated with Hot Rod.   
Optimus smiled, the smile reflecting his optics. "Thank you for your help."   
Rodimus managed to look embarrassed, then got himself under control. "Uhm..... Since you are up again ... I think I'll get back to our guests...." He slipped off the bed and left the room.   
Optimus watched him, the Matrix pulsing softly in his chest, relaying to him what had happened in the short time Rodimus had been with him inside the alien structure.

* * *

Riverdance's face was a faint smile as she watched Rodimus walk into the room and the young commander felt a bit strange going up against this female. Not that he wouldn't strike a female, but Riverdance struck him as odd and somehow he knew that her claims were correct. Still, he had accepted the 'invitation' and it would be a nice training session for him. Lancer was present as well, watching the whole thing through one of the few heavily secured windows. He felt her presence in his mind and it was a welcome sensation.   
"You still have time to say no," the former Decepticon commander said, her voice neutral.   
Rodimus knew she wouldn't see it as a dishonoring move if he bailed out now, but he had said yes and he would go through with it.   
"No way," he answered with a grin.   
Riverdance shrugged. "Okay."   
And she struck out.   
Rodimus had seen the move coming with half an eye and he jumped back. Riverdance smiled at his move and nodded.   
"Good."   
He grinned again. "You haven't even seen me in good condition," he chuckled.   
The fight started in earnest.

Lancer watched curiously, her mind working on the different moves Riverdance applied and she noted the professionalism. Riverdance was good; no, she was incredibly good! For a robot her size she moved fluidly, without hesitation, aware of her body. Her equilibrium was better than anyone's Lancer had ever met here on Cybertron. Robots were able to keep their balance in many situations, but they were still heavy machines and some moved like it. Riverdance had grace.   
Lancer had worked had on teaching Rodimus how to move that way, how to use his body and not be heard miles away. She had trained him as an assassin and he moved like one now: silently, deadly, gracefully. Riverdance had trained herself, using skills she had been borne with, skills she had taught others and had been taught in return, and she had become what she was today: a weapon.   
"She's good," Shanygn muttered.   
The young mutant glanced at the other woman and nodded. She turned her attention back to the fight. Rodimus was hard pressed to evade her constantly and Lancer knew that this wasn't due to lack of training. He was good as well, but Riverdance was simply better. She moved like a dancer, feinting attacks, subtly showing Rodimus where his weak spots were. A smile crossed the young woman's face while she watched Rodimus fight back once more and once more he was treated to a rapid succession of near hits. Riverdance was teaching him, she realized with a silent chuckle. She gave him an idea about where he was good and where he needed more training! Well, Rodimus had another asset in form of herself .....   
Lancer concentrated on her life mate's mind and started to project what she saw in his mind's eye. She felt his surprise, then his understanding, and she felt him grin through their link. Lancer was a third person in this fight, a watcher, and Rodimus now used what she saw to get the upper hand.   
Riverdance evaded several blows and frowned, her eyes traveling over to the view port, then back to Rodimus.   
"If you want to play," she said and flip-flopped out of his way, "then so can I!"   
She came up against the wall with her back -- and disappeared! Lancer stared at the spot, swiftly replaying what she had seen. Riverdance had melted into the wall!   
Camouflage, she thought and smiled. She's really good!   
Shanygn chuckled.   
Lancer scanned for the robot's life force and was greeted by scattered readings all over the room. Very good! Suddenly Riverdance seemed to literally explode out of the wall, hitting the confused Rodimus and pinning him to the floor. She sat on his chest, her lips curled into a faint smile, hands lodged around his shoulders a way that she could keep him down with little effort.   
"Game over," she said softly.   
Rodimus groaned and sighed. "All right, you won. But that wasn't fair!"   
She leaned forward, still smiling, revealing a pair of fangs. "Neither was your move, my young friend."   
He sighed once more. "Okay, okay...."   
Riverdance moved away and he got up. Lancer smiled as she picked up his thoughts.   
"Great performance, you two," Shanygn greeted Riverdance and Rodimus.   
Rodimus rubbed his shoulder. "Yeah, right."   
Lancer gave him a mock-critical look. "I think we have to work on some things."   
The young Autobot chuckled. "And what did you have in mind?"   
"I'll think of something."   
Rodimus was glad robots couldn't blush because the images he was getting would have made him.   
Shanygn grinned. "C'mon, Riv, I think we should better leave those two alone for the teacher's criticism."   
Riverdance grinned and followed the smaller humanoid outside. Rodimus opened his mouth to say something, but Lancer's thoughts shut him up immediately.

* * *

Ath'antheia counted the losses and clenched his hands into fists. This had been a blow against them that would not so easily balanced. D'rlanzinhj had been one of his best strike force commanders and a valuable scientific mind. Katalumera, who had been nearly crippled in the attack the Cybertronians had launched at the strike force over the planet, would need extensive healing time. Anrhenjx was equally lucky to have escaped with his life. All the others were lost, two of them suspected to have perished in the twin dimensions, the others slaughtered by the Cybertronian assault force.   
The Tji leader hissed in anger and turned toward Rae, who interpreted the mood of his leader correctly and changed course to one of the outer regions of this quadrant. For now they couldn't do anything but recharge and gather new strength, but their retaliation would be vicious.

* * *

Though First Aid had insisted he rest for some time, Optimus had left the med bay and walked to one of the many conference rooms which had been turned into a mission control room of sorts. They still had to get their visitors back to their dimension and even though they knew when the doorway would open, they still had to time it right. As he walked into the room he discovered someone he had thought he'd never meet again. Their optics met and Megatron's lips curled into a sarcastic smile.   
"How did that happen?" Optimus asked.   
The second robot -- it had to be Sphere -- smiled. "Too much energy."   
"And a push from your human friend Malice," Megatron added.   
Optimus looked at him for a long time, then nodded. "Following your time table, the doorway back to your dimension will open in less than an hour."   
Sphere nodded. "I know. I can feel it ... the echoes of where it opened and the future echoes to come." She smiled at his puzzled expression. "I'm a Key, Optimus. I belong to the system."   
He nodded, accepting this. "We secured the area around the doorway opening," he told the two. "The rupture which was opened through the energon explosion has closed again, but Starscream and Twilight are still there and Riverdance has joined them."   
Sphere nodded. "We should be there as well, at least me. I'm a Key and can help my brother stabilize the opening and send a confirmation that we are coming through."   
Rodimus nodded and Sphere transformed, leaving the room in her horse-mode. When she was in a large enough space, she spread her wings and flew quickly toward the right coordinates.   
Optimus shot Megatron another look. He just couldn't get used to him in many ways and still seeing him in the more fragile human form in his mind didn't help either. Megatron returned the gaze steadily.

* * *

Midnight rubbed his eyes and wished the headache would stop. Steve tried to relieve the pressure, but it was different working in a human body than in a robotic one. And somehow the headache was a reminder of what had happened, something that shouldn't have happened! He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, trembling. Steve moved gently inside of him, trying to tell him that this wasn't his fault.   
"But it was," he whispered, shaking his head.   
"What was what?" someone asked.   
Midnight's head came up and he stared at Lancer. Guilt washed over him again as he remembered what had happened. He had lost control. He had nearly killed someone.   
"It was my fault," he told her, his voice a bit unsteady. "I nearly killed you!"   
Lancer approached him. "And I nearly killed you, Midnight. I think we are even."   
He shook his head. "No. I lost control. I lost control over powers that set me apart even in my robot body! I always tried to control them and never had any problems...."   
<< Except for the few temper outbreaks >> Steve muttered, which Lancer couldn't hear.   
"And now this!"   
Lancer cocked her head. "You are not used to this, Mid. You are new at being human." She smiled. "I don't think you should linger too much on what happened. Just be glad I didn't kill you in return....."   
He managed a smile as well. "Yeah, maybe. But...." he shrugged, "you see, I'm kind of a mutant in my own dimension and it took me some time to get people to see past the aura I project. Hell, it took me ages to control this emotionally linked ability! Now I turned human and my powers have grown even more dangerous! Lancer, I lost control! Completely. The other side took over!"   
Lancer nodded, her face suddenly dark. Midnight bit his lip.   
"Sorry, I didn't want to.... to sound like I was the only one in the world with such a problem." Midnight looked at the table and sighed, shaking his head.   
Lancer managed a smile and touched his hand. He met her eyes and she once again thought that he was rather cute. "It's okay, Mid. I understand and you have to understand that even though you are different, you have to accept it in every form."   
He gave her a wry smile. "I already have. It's not the difference I hate, it's the results."   
She nodded. "I really know what you are talking about. Just be glad you can turn into a robot once more and lose part of this uncontrollable power," Lancer told him seriously. "And be glad you have a friend in Steve."   
Midnight looked at her for a long time, feeling Steve inside of  him. Yes, he had some luck there and he had had a lot of time, several millennia, to work out his problems -- unlike Lancer.   
One of the female assistant doctors walked past and gave him the Look again. Steve chuckled in amusement, teasing him with what Tarakk would do if she ever got to know. Midnight rolled his eyes. He had to get rid of this human body!   
Lancer interpreted the expression on his face correctly and chuckled. "Let's get you somewhere safe," she decided.   
"Oh, yes, please," he muttered and followed her.

*

Shanygn was delighted by Lancer's and Rodi's kids and though it took some getting used to how hyper Alexandria was, at least for a two-year old, she enjoyed her time with them. Edana asked her endless questions, which Shanygn answered patiently, while Alex climbed all over her and tried out her braiding experiences on the long, dark blue hair. That was how Lancer found them and she stopped in the doorway, smiling. She had dropped Midnight off with Optimus, who had wanted to talk to the Sentinel anyway. Midnight had been all too glad to get away from the female public. Lancer had to grin again. He was darn cute and attractive as a human and she wondered if for a robot's taste, he radiated the same charm and cuteness, even through the dark looks of his body.   
"Why don't you and your sister go and find Daddy and play with him?" she now suggested as she approached the play group.   
Edana cheered and even Alex grinned broadly.   
"Da - dy!" she pronounced happily.   
Shanygn laughed and helped the toddler over to her sister, who took Alex's hand and both children left.   
"Don't you think they'll get lost?" Shanygn asked.   
Lancer shook her head. "Rodi's already on his way here and," she seemed to listen and Shanygn could hear joyful laughter from the girls, "he has just arrived." She sat down on the floor beside Shanygn. "Thanks for the help, Shan. Back there, I mean."   
Shanygn shrugged. "Hey, can't miss a party!"   
"You sound like Jazz," Lancer grinned.   
Shanygn mirrored the grin, then her face turned slightly thoughtful. "You have great kids."   
"Great trouble-makers," Lancer corrected. "You don't want to know what they get into."   
"Oh, I can. I know my Roddy and if yours is only half as bad, the paternal side of their genes is the bad influence."   
Lancer couldn't suppress a giggle. "Maybe." Then she became aware of Shanygn's still thoughtful expression, though the young woman tried to mask it. "Something wrong?"   
Shanygn shook her head, painting a smile on her lips. "No. I think I'm just a bit envious."   
"About what?"   
"You being able to have kids, even if they are a lot of trouble." Shanygn inhaled deeply and Lancer became aware of just how much it must hurt not to be able to have children if you wanted some. It was different if you could give birth and decided not to, but the other way around was painful.   
"Have you ever thought about getting help?" the young mutant probed, hoping she was not treading on too thin ice.   
Shanygn looked at her, eyes reflecting pain. "Yes, but it's impossible, Lancer. You see.... I ..." She inhaled deeply. "I no longer have what it takes to get pregnant."   
Lancer stared at her in shock. Up until now she had thought that it was Shanygn's handicap, her missing or badly damaged synapses, that kept her from carrying a child.   
"Everything was ... removed," Shanygn added and she nearly choked on the last words.   
Lancer felt incredibly helpless all of a sudden. Her friend was suffering from an emotional pain that had just started to show. She suspected there was more beneath the top of this iceberg, but she was afraid to ask. She was afraid of what she might hear.   
"I ...."   
Shanygn shook her head and met her eyes. She was biting back emotional pain and Lancer already saw shields getting back up.   
"Nothing you should concern yourself with. I wouldn't be able to stand it anyway -- seeing my kids grow old, have kids as well, dying, while I live on." She rubbed her eyes. "Nick understands and he accepts it."   
"Nicholas?" Lancer asked gently, trying to focus Shanygn back on something happier.   
Shanygn laughed slightly, though her voice still wavered. "Yeah, someone who waited two years for me to get over the disgust I felt every time a man tried to touch me -- intimately, that is. I could stand medical exams. I could let Roddy touch me when he was human because I knew he needed help and wasn't interested in something else. But other than that...."   
She stopped again and Lancer cursed herself. Get her away from the bad memories, yeah, right! But her mind was slowly coming to realize what could have happened to Shanygn and she felt disgust rise inside of her, though she suspected there was even more than what she thought.   
"Nicholas sounds like a nice guy," she tried it again.   
Shanygn nodded, smiling softly. "He is. He's Interfaced with Tornado."   
"The Seeker?"   
Shanygn nodded again. "It was hard to get them to acknowledge the Interface, but now they are partners." She inhaled deeply. "Sorry for dumping this on you."   
Lancer touched her arm. "You are not dumping, Shan. I'm just listening."   
Shanygn nodded. "Thanks."   
"You're welcome."   
"By the way, how's Midnight?" Shanygn asked, changing the topic.   
Lancer accepted the change and grinned. "He's on the run from half the female cadets."   
Shanygn laughed. "He does look ...err...."   
"Handsome? Cute? Attractive? Mysteriously good-looking?" Lancer offered with a sly grin.   
Shanygn nodded, her grin a mile wide. "I wish Tarakk were here."   
"Who's Tarakk?"   
"Oh, she's a newcomer. She and Mid discovered their feelings toward each other, though her kind hates Sentinels for their role in the past of Cybertron." Shanygn sighed a bit. "Quite a long story."   
Lancer tried not to laugh. Midnight had always struck her a bit shy. "Yeah, it would be fun to see her reaction to him."   
"And to the looks all those women give him!" Shanygn cried with laughter.   
Lancer joined in the laughter, her mind still replaying the leers and coy looks from every female member in the complex Midnight had met. They would have jumped and kidnapped him if he had been alone.   
She got to her feet and smiled down at her other-dimensional friend. "I originally came to tell you that the others are getting ready to go back."   
Shanygn got up as well, eyes sparkling with laughter, all he bad memories shoved away. "Just lead the way."

* * *

Megatron walked along the corridor to the exit. The doorway would soon open and everyone would have to be there. He was lost in his own thoughts when he became aware of the human female. Malice. He looked down on her, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. She looked decidedly pale, but then she had always been a bit on the pale side.   
"I'm glad we meet before I have to go," he started the conversation and was treated to a quick look from her. "I want to thank you for everything."   
Malice nodded. Megatron sighed silently and knelt down to be more on her eye-level, but she still wouldn't really look at him.   
"I owe you my sanity, Malice. Thank you."   
"I.... it was nothing," she muttered.   
Megatron shook his head, wishing he knew why this human reacted so curiously. She was not afraid of him, he knew, but she was bothered by something.   
"I know it was something and I just wanted to let you know. Good-bye." He straightened and, after one last look at her, left.

Malice inhaled deeply and finally looked straight at the retreating back of the Decepticon leader.   
"Are you okay?"   
She turned and discovered Shellshock. His mysterious eyes held a cold look, which was not the same look he had most of the times.   
"What did he want of you?" he asked, voice slightly too cold.   
"Nothing," she muttered. "I .... helped him ..... He was turned human when he came to this dimension." Her voice was a bit thoughtful.   
Shellshock froze. "Human?" he echoed.   
Malice nodded. "Yes. It's ...uhm... quite complicated. I'll tell you about it when we're back on Maelstrom."   
Shellshock looked at her with intense eyes, then gave a curt nod. Both were soon on their way to the meeting point with Kain.

* * *

The good-byes were fairly short and Lancer somehow felt sad to see Shanygn leave so quickly again. Rodimus echoed her thoughts and she sighed. Of course it was better if they all left as quickly as possible because prolonged exposure to this dimension might call the Jabez's interest upon them.   
The doorway opened and the bright light blinded her for a moment, then she watched the visitors step in. Twilight was the last to go, and with him Shanygn. The Interface of Rodi's dimensional twin smiled at them and then entered as well. The doorway snapped shut behind them and an incredible silence settled for a brief second. Then the 'normal' sounds of the planet set in.   
"Let's go," she decided, her voice soft.   
Rodimus nodded and transformed, opening a door to let her climb in. Optimus stayed a bit longer where he was, then he left as well.

* * *

Rodimus looked down on his Interface partner and was greeted by two dark blue, innocent eyes.   
"Why didn't you inform me first?" he asked, keeping his voice calm.   
"Because you would have said no?"   
Rodimus sighed. "Shanygn!"   
"What?"   
"Shan, you should have asked me! I'm responsible -- for you, for the Autobots...." He bent down a bit, his features displaying what he felt. "And if you go off like that, without my approval, I could as well resign and let everyone act as he wants to!"   
"You mean I'm examplary because we are linked?" Shanygn asked provocatively.   
Rodimus sighed and shook his head. "No, Shan, please don't get me wrong.... but going off into this other dimension....!"   
"You would have done the same!" she told him.   
"That's not up for discussion!" Rodimus made a helpless little gesture. "Don't you remember what happened the last time you went?"   
Shanygn suddenly looked a bit ashamed. "Oh gods.... Roddy, I ... I didn't want to hurt you!"   
[You didn't, but I was afraid what might happen if the doorway closed -- permanently] he said, using the more intimate link they shared. He tried to show her what he had felt, how worried he had been, hoping she wouldn't misunderstand it as overprotectiveness.   
She smiled slightly. [You know there are no more permanent barriers between those two dimensions. Ralyk said as much]   
He sighed. [Shan!]   
[I know what you want to say, Roddy, and I apologize. I acted rushed. I simply heard what was going on and knew someone had to act]   
[You] he chuckled.   
[Hey, I'm entitled to some irrational actions once in a while]   
Rodimus smiled gently down on her, feeling her 'embrace' in his mind. It was so hard to imagine how he had functioned without her for such a long time and it was impossible to imagine going on without her. [You did well over there, I heard]   
Shanygn shrugged, her blue eyes warm with what she felt. [Reasonably well] She grinned a bit. [I think I'll go now. You have fun with those reports]   
Rodimus chuckled. [You have fun with Nick]   
Shanygn managed to blush, her light blue skin taking on a deeper shade of blue. Rodimus had to hold on to himself not to break out laughing.

*

It felt good to be home, even though the memories of the events still stuck stubbornly to him. Megatron looked over the reports and other stacks of papers he would have to have a look at, but somehow this was a minor bother compared to being human and in constant pain. Something shadowy jumped onto the desk and emerald eyes glowed softly. Sparks stepped into the light of the desk lamp and sat down, regarding him curiously.   
"Welcome back," she finally said. "Miss me?"   
Megatron lifted one corner of his mouth. "Like a sore relay."   
"Aw, I'm moved!" she exclaimed, eyes sparkling.   
His optics returned to staring at the waiting computer screen, but his mind flashed back once more.   
Being human.   
Oversensitivity......   
He had never felt everything as acutely as in this other dimension. Even the game planet had been a moderated experience compared to this!   
Sparks brushed her head against his hand and purred softly. He gently started to brush his fingers over her head and smiled as she jumped onto his lap, claiming it as her place for now. He continued to stroke her as the first reports scrolled up on the screen and he lost himself in work. Her purring helped him relax and he wondered dimly if the two new females in his life were some kind of higher scheme. Then he shook his head and concentrated completely on his work.


End file.
